- Spieth one shot off Charles Schwab lead after third-round 68
- Rory McIlroy three shots back on crowded leaderboard
Now for the interesting bit. If the absence of spectators for the first three rounds of the PGA Tour’s much-heralded return has been nothing more than a point of reference, how a tightly packed field will respond to a lack of electricity as they pursue glory over the final 18 holes of the Charles Schwab Challenge is a genuine source of intrigue. It may be that Jordan Spieth, in seeking to scale the mountain once more, will benefit the most from the absence of thousands of expectant fans in his native Texas. Spieth doesn’t exactly need added attention.
It seems remarkable that Spieth has not won since the Open of 2017, with his subsequent on-course struggles widely recognised. As a Dallas native, Spieth knows Fort Worth’s Colonial Country Club better than anyone else in the field. He begins day four just one from the 13-under-par lead held by Xander Schauffele. Should Spieth prevail, the upshot is sure to be emotional. His attempts to do precisely that are guaranteed to prove fascinating.
Related: ‘My hero was Tiger Woods’: Rory McIlroy urges tolerance and education in golf
