There were no U-Haul or Ryder trucks in sight during Saturday’s round of the 31st Annual Coors Tournament of Champions.
But it was definitely “moving day” in round three of the TOC played out in nice conditions on the Arrowhead Course at Comanche Trail Golf Complex.
Meaning? Hang on for what could be a wild ride during Sunday’s finale because Saturday zero golfers started the day within three strokes of the lead and Sunday four golfers will tee it up within three strokes of the lead.
Gritty Luke Kane continued his bid to win this TOC by leading after every round shooting a 2-under 70 on Arrowhead, sitting at 7-under for the tourney, a stroke ahead of charging Ian Ansett.
Kane, not 100 percent because of a shoulder injury suffered in mid-July, held a 5-stroke lead over the field heading into Saturday. He saw that lead quickly vanish the opening six holes because of a pair of bogeys combined with Ansett’s impressive opening six holes.
Kane saved his round – and, his lead! – by firing off four consecutive birdies on hole Nos. 7-10.
“It wasn’t good today for me because I didn’t play real good,” said Kane, playing in his 17th TOC. “But I didn’t expect this tournament to be easy. It’s never easy. I was proud of the way I fought back. I didn’t feel good with my driver today my shoulder was kind of bothering me. When you don’t hit your driver well, golf is kind of hard.”
Ansett playing in his first-ever TOC put on an early show Saturday and after opening the TOC with a 76 leaving him nine strokes behind Kane, has cranked out an impressive 11-under score the past two days sitting the stroke in back of Kane at 6-under.
Ansett opened Saturday six strokes behind Kane, but when he stood on the 7th tee he had the lead as his scorecard read 5-under thanks to three birdies and a chip-in eagle on No. 3.
“I felt pretty good with the putter and was thinking just give myself opportunities,” Ansett explaining the key to his impressive opening six holes. “I chipped in for eagle and that kind of momentum made things feel really good.”
Ansett would cool off a bit but still made the move of the day by shooting the low round of the 2025 TOC tournament at 65, coming within a stroke of tying the all-time TOC low round at Arrowhead held by Ben Prewett (2010) and Casey Weiss (2013).
“I don’t know what happened then,” Ansett said after opening six-hole birdie and eagle barrage. “I kind of pulled the handbrake up. After that first round, I’m very happy to be where I’m at kind of keeping things interesting. We don’t want anyone running away with it.”
Former Oklahoma State golfer Stewart Dodson, playing in the same foursome with Kane and Ansett, is very much alive alone in third at 5-under.
Dodson, who hit some massive drives, carded a 5-under 67 with a six-birdie, one bogey round. He absolutely nooked his drive on the 433-yard par 4 No. 18 coming and recording one of only two birdies recorded among the 10 golfers.
“To be where I’m at two back with one day to go, I’m good with that,” Dodson said. “I just need to keep on doing what I’m doing and make a few putts in the middle of the round to stretch it out more.”
A pair of dangerous golfers capable of going low on Sunday’s Mustang Course at Ross Rogers Golf Complex sit three strokes back at 4-under in defending TOC champion Max Mitchell (68 on Saturday) and 2019 TOC champion Andrew Brewer (66 on Saturday).
Those in the lead, or near the lead, left Comanche Trails Golf Complex Saturday knowing Sunday is go-low time.
“Like I said, it’s never easy to win these things (the TOC),” Kane said. “There are a lot of good rounds in these guys. It’s anybody’s ballgame tomorrow.”
“I expect guys to go and play well,” Ansett said. “That Mustang Course is in good shape and I think there is another 65 in me, as well as for others, too.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Dodson said. “I think we all kind of need a fast start to help us out. Ian, I haven’t played with much, but he played really well today. Then you have Andrew that makes everything out there. And then Max and Luke are obviously so solid out there. You are going to have to play good tomorrow to win, that’s for sure.”
Saturday also saw the opening of the Coors TOC Senior Championship which is a 36-hole tournament.
Dario Garza leads at 4-under and proved it’s not where you start but how you finish. Garza was 1-over par after No. 8 on Arrowhead, but fired off five birdies over his final 10 holes to secure a three-stroke lead.
Defending champion Darrin Davis and a healthy John Dawson’s return to the TOC after 10 years sit tied in second at 1-under.
Mark Guess and Alex O’Brien are tied in fourth at even par.
Check out the results
For a look at the leaderboard and all the Coors Tournament of Champions information, please visit: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/11921753528567115298
Photo gallery by James Abel:
