Shootout in store for final round of Safeway Open at Silverado Resort

It’s shaping up as one of the greatest final rounds in the five-year history of the Safeway Open.

Three players are tied for the lead.

Twenty-nine players are within five shots of the lead.

So many players are in red numbers and in contention on a bunched leaderboard going into Sunday’s fourth and final round at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa.

It’s time to fasten your seatbelt and to get ready for what is looking like a shootout in every sense of the word on the par-72, 7,116-yard North Course.

It’s the season-opening event of the PGA Tour’s 2020–21 schedule and carries a $6.6 million purse, with the winner receiving $1.18 million.

“If you drive it in the fairway, you’re going to give yourself a bunch of chances. I think that’s the №1 key for me,” said Brian Stuard. “The golf course is soft, greens are pretty receptive. You’ve got to make a bunch of birdies — that’s the name of the game this week.”

“I feel like anytime you’re in contention, you’re playing well, so that’s a bonus,” said James Hahn. “I just feel like I’m in control of my emotions. Hopefully I can put it all together (Sunday).”

“With the way the weather has been this week, you’re going to have to go low,” said Cameron Percy. “A few holes I’m playing pretty conservatively and the rest of the time just go straight at it. I’ve had a lot of good numbers this week, so I’m able to attack a lot of holes.”

Stuard, Hahn and Percy are tied for the lead, each at 16-under-par 200 after 54 holes.

On a Saturday when the weather warmed up, with temperatures hovering in the low 90s, the course went into defense-mode during the third round, with conditions becoming a lot firmer and dryer and for the first time all week, there was some wind.

There is not a lot of breathing room at the top of the leaderboard, as so many players are still right in it.

Stuard, who is seeking his second PGA Tour title, shot 66.

Hahn, who is playing on a Major Medical Extension due to an elbow injury, shot 67.

Percy, who tied for seventh at the Safeway Open last year, shot 68.

Three players are tied for fourth, one shot back at 15-under.

There is a group of five players who are tied for seventh, two shots behind at 14-under.

Six players are tied for 12th, three shots off the lead, at 13-under.

Eleven more players are tied for 18th, four shots behind, at 12-under.

Four players are tied for 29th, five off the lead, at 11-under.

“This is a course that fits my game,” said Stuard. “You’ve got to drive it straight. You’ve got to kind of shape the tee ball once in a while. It’s important to be on the right side of the fairway to some pins, I think. It reminds me a little bit of Hilton Head in that way.”

Stuard has advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs six of the last eight seasons. He tied for 17th at the Safeway Open last year.

Hahn is looking for his third PGA Tour title.

Percy is seeking his first win on the PGA Tour.

Kristoffer Ventura (66), Sam Burns (72) and Harry Higgs (70) are tied for fourth at 15-under.

“Hopefully (Sunday) I can keep the putter going because that’s what you need to win or finish high,” said Ventura.

Emiliano Grillo (65), Stewart Cink (65), Doug Ghim (69), D.J. Trahan (70), and Russell Knox (70) are tied for seventh at 14-under.

One of the storylines to the tournament is the play of Sahith Theegala, who is entered on an unrestricted sponsor invitation. Theegala, playing in just his seventh Tour event, is tied for 12th, at 13-under.

As a college player at Pepperdine University, Theegala was the recipient of Fred Haskins Award, Ben Hogan Award and Jack Nicklaus Award.

“Ultimately, I’m playing the event because you want to compete, right, be near the top of the leaderboard at the end of the week,” said Theegala.

He finished tied for 41st last month at the Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mt. Club’s Old Greenwood Course in Truckee.

“The last couple weeks, Barracuda and here, I’ve felt so comfortable. I’m just out there playing golf as I know it and I think just having that mindset has definitely helped a lot,” said Theegala.

“(Saturday), I worked on a few things on the range and I just hit it really well. I think a big key out here is driving it well, and I drove it well. Even though I didn’t hit a lot of fairways, I was just off the fairways, a lot of intermediate cuts, so I left myself in a lot of good positions and I was able to hole some putts because the greens are so pure.”

The toughest hole in Round 3 was the par-3 second hole (3.151).

Sunday’s final-round tee times start at 8:20 a.m. Stuard and Hahn, the day’s final pairing, begins at 2:10 p.m.

Golf Channel’s coverage of the final round is from 3–6 p.m.