Simon Hovdal (Pacific Coast Golf Association Photo)

Playing in the final group of the day, Simon Hovdal entered today’s third round with a five-shot lead over Zac Jones of Highland, Utah. Hovdal had an up-and-down round, with three bogeys and three birdies through the first 12 holes. He steadied the ship down the homestretch, parring in from the 13th hole.

The 19-year-old Hovdal has committed to playing college golf at Texas Tech University beginning in 2025, following in the footsteps of fellow Swedish golfer Ludvig Aberg.

Hovdal will be joined by fellow 19-year-old Wheaton Ennis from Eagle, Idaho, and Hunter Thomson from Calgary, Alberta, in tomorrow’s final round. Ennis and Thomson both sit two shots off the pace, well within striking distance of the lead.

Notable:

- Cooper Jones from Highland, Utah, shot the low round of the day with a 7-under 64 in today’s round, moving up 26 spots on the leaderboard into a tie for 11th.
- With a 6-under 65 in today’s third round, Wheaton Ennis from Eagle, Idaho, is the only player in the championship with three consecutive rounds under par.
- A total of 22 players are under par after the first three rounds of the championship.
- The 501-yard par-4 1st hole played as the toughest hole in round three, with a scoring average of 4.37. The hole yielded just eight birdies against 32 bogeys or worse.
- Hole number four, a 545-yard par-5, continued to play as the easiest hole of the championship, with nine eagles, 36 birdies, and a scoring average of 4.42 in today’s round.

Up next:

The final round play gets underway tomorrow, Friday, July 26th, at Chambers Bay. Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. local time.

About Chambers Bay

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 2007, Chambers Bay is a links-style layout along the shores of Puget Sound. The venue made history by hosting the first U.S. Open ever held in the Pacific Northwest in 2015. It has also been the site of multiple other USGA championships, including the 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur. Chambers Bay is a municipal facility owned by Pierce County and is open to the public. The facility has been designated by Audubon International as a Silver Signature Sanctuary, the first golf course in the Pacific Northwest to receive this certification. More information can be found at chambersbaygolf.com.

About the Pacific Coast Golf Association

The Pacific Coast Amateur Championship is one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur golf championships in North America. The first tournament was held on the links of San Francisco Golf Club at The Presidio in 1901. After being played until 1911, the Pacific Coast Amateur then ceased to exist, only to be reconstituted at Seattle Golf Club in 1967. Today, 15 member Pacific Rim golf associations comprise the Pacific Coast Golf Association. More information about the association and the Pacific Coast Amateur can be found at pacificcoastamateur.com.

About the Elite Amateur Golf Series

Launched in 2022 to challenge the best of the best in amateur golf, the Elite Amateur Golf Series brings together the top amateur championships in a collective series of competition, the Elite Amateur Cup. In addition to hosting the best players, Elite Amateur Cup events are contested at the best sites and have the longest history of successful champions. The Elite Amateur Golf Series maintains a proven track record that prepares elite players for the toughest competitive tests, making the championships the majors of amateur golf. For more information visit eliteamateurgolfseries.org.