Trace Crowe birdied his final two holes Saturday to get to 14 under and separate himself from three other players through 54 holes of the inaugural Austin Championship.
Chad Ramey, Erik van Rooyen and Sami Valimaki all could have shared the lead heading into Sunday’s final round at Fazio Canyons Golf Course if Crowe had faltered down the stretch.
But the 30-year-old Crowe, who is seeking his first win on Tour this week in Texas, birdied the par-3 17th and followed it up with another circle at No. 18 as part of the final grouping on the course.
Heavy winds began to impact players still on their back nines Saturday afternoon, and Crowe was no exception.
After setting the course record on Thursday with an opening-round 62, Crowe bogeyed the first two holes on his back nine on Moving Day.
Another square at the par-4 16th put his chances in doubt but the run of birdies at the end of his round vaulted him ahead for the solo lead.
Americans Ben Kohles and Max Greyserman are two back of Crowe’s lead, while eight players sit T-7 at 11 under.
Ramey had the clubhouse lead for more than an hour. He got there by limiting mistakes — the 34-year-old Mississippi State alum has posted just three bogeys, one in each round. Saturday’s error came at the par-3 17th, the same hole Crowe birdied from an hour later.
“On a week like this to kind of finally get some good results and be in a good position going into Sunday, it’s great to see,” said Ramey, who entered the week No. 136 in the FedExCup Fall standings and has moved up to a projected No. 68.
That would give Ramey a card for 2027, despite not having a top 10 finish in his first 26 starts.
Valimaki, who won for the first time at the RSM Classic last November, moved into the co-leader position with a 3-under 69. He opened the inaugural tournament 68-66 after making his first PGA Tour start since July at last week’s WWT Championship.
“It was good to take some time off, it’s actually been a long time since I felt like I could enjoy the golf course and I feel like that’s the biggest key for me,” said Valimaki, who battled a right wrist injury and also received stiches in his left hand.
The Finnish player was No. 172 entering the week but has crept up to No. 129 with 18 holes left.
The top 100 players earn their cards, while players inside the top 125 earn conditional status for the 2027 season.
Van Rooyen was more up and down with his 69 on Saturday. He bogeyed the 215-yard, par-3 eighth hole and followed that up with a double at the turn. A bogey at the 17th looked like it could sink his chances at the co-lead, but he answered by circling the par-5 18th.
“Compared to the first two days, it’s much trickier,” said the South African, who has moved from No. 140 in the fall standings up to No. 108 with his play in Austin. “Wind was difficult. I thought some of the pins were really tricky, and it was cold so the ball’s just not going as far.”
The final round has been moved up due to inclement weather expected in the area on Sunday.
Golf Channel’s TV coverage starts at 12:30 p.m. ET.
