Mark Goetz, Matt McCarty share 54-hole lead at Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper

Things to Know

• Third-year member Matt McCarty, who held the 54-hole lead at last week’s Ascendant presented by Blue, and Korn Ferry Tour rookie Mark Goetz share the 54-hole lead at 19-under 197 at the 35th playing of the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper.
• 36-hole leader Cooper Dossey chipped in for eagle at the par-5 18th for a 2-under 70 and trails by three strokes.
• Taylor Dickson enters the final round three strokes off the lead, eyeing his third victory of the season to earn an immediate promotion to the PGA TOUR.
• Due to potential inclement weather in the area, tee times will run from 9 a.m. through 11:18 a.m. local time with groups going off the first and 10th tee.

Third-Round Lead Notes

• 19 – Third-round leaders/co-leaders to win the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper
• 6 – Third-round leaders/co-leaders to win on Tour in 2024

Charting the Leaders

Matt McCarty (T1/-19)

• Second consecutive start and time in his career holding the 54-hole lead/co-lead (The Ascendant presented by Blue/finished T5)
• Seeking his first Korn Ferry Tour win in what is his 68th career start
• Second made cut in what is his third career start at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr; best finish is T8 in 2022
• Bidding to become the 13th first-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour this season (there were only 10 first-time winners all of last season)
• At 19-under 197, matches his 54-hole score from last week’s Ascendant presented by Blue for his second-lowest 54-hole score on Tour (196/2024 Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS)
• Finished in the top 75 of the Korn Ferry Tour Points List each of the last two seasons (No. 55 as a rookie in 2022, No. 35 in 2023) and is fully exempt for 2024
• Earned Korn Ferry Tour membership for the first time ahead of the 2022 season with a T39 at Final Stage of 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament (now PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry)
• Turned professional in 2021 after five seasons at Santa Clara University (2016-21), where he earned three AllWest Coast Conference honors (2018, 2019, 2021)

Mark Goetz (T1/-19)

• Cards a bogey-free 9-under 63 for the low round of the day and the lowest single-round score of his career (previous: 65/2024 LECOM Suncoast Classic/R1; 65/2024 Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS/R2)
  • Rolled in five birdies (Nos. 5, 6, 8, 14, 15) and two eagles on the par-5 11th and 18th
• First lead/co-lead of any kind in his Korn Ferry Tour career
• Bidding for first career Korn Ferry Tour victory in 18th career start and the 13th first-time winner this season
• Owns four made cuts with one top-25 finish on Tour this season (T12/LECOM Suncoast Classic)
• Medalist at Second Stage of 2023 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry to gain membership on the Korn Ferry Tour for the first time
• Made nine starts with seven made cuts and one top-25 finish last season on PGA TOUR Canada (now PGA TOUR Americas); T12 at the 2023 Quebec Open powered by Videotron Business
• Turned professional in 2022 after playing five seasons at West Virginia (2017-22), where he was the first NCAA individual qualifier in program history
• Stroke-play medalist at the 121st U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club

Quotables

Matt McCarty on holding the 54-hole lead for a second consecutive start… “Yeah, redemption, I told Daws walking up No. 18 last week we'll be back, so seven days later in the same spot, which is good. It's a little easier to probably chase down people on this course, so we'll see if I even have the lead when I tee off tomorrow. Yeah, no, it's been good. Just like keep doing what I'm doing. Like I'm playing good golf, keep my head down and good things are going to happen. Try not to force it out there tomorrow, and yeah.”

McCarty on his play this season and his improvement from year to year… “Yeah, I mean, I think just a lot of like being my third year out here, knowing the courses. I've grown a lot the last couple of years. All these experiences kind of add up. I think I've been playing well all year, kind of some ups and downs but haven't been finishing off tournaments great. So hopefully we can kind of change that tomorrow. Yeah, I gained a little bit of distance every year, kind of feel more comfortable, understanding that good golf isn't always perfect golf, allowing yourself to make some mistakes. Yeah, just taking advantage of each opportunity and kind of the spot that we're in.”

Notes

• Tommy Gainey (3rd/-18) stands solo third and inside the top three through 54 holes for the first time since holding the 54-hole lead at the 2020 Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay (won)
  • Fifth career start and first made cut since 2009 – second overall – at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper; finished T51
• Former Texas A&M Aggie Sam Bennett (4th/-17) logs a bogey-free 6-under 66 and stands inside the top five after 54 holes for the third time this season; Bennett converted both previous top-five standings into top-10 results (T2/Visit Knoxville Open/finished 7th; T2/The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club/finished T9)
• Second-year member Mitchell Meissner (T5/-16), who is making his 15th start of the season, cards a bogey-free 8-under 64 and heads into the final round eyeing his eighth top-25 and second top-10 finish of the season; Meissner had four top-25s all of last season in 25 starts
• Taylor Dickson (T5/-16) will seek his third come-from-behind victory of the season and achieve the three-victory promotion that will earn him an immediate promotion to the PGA TOUR
  • In his two victories this season, Dickson trailed after 54 holes by seven strokes at the Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank and four strokes at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open Benefitting KU Wichita Pediatrics
• Second-year member Noah Goodwin (T5/-16) stands at T5 after a 6-under 66 in the third round to establish a new career-high 54-hole position (T6/2024 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club/finished T6)
  • Goodwin earned membership for the 2024 season via a T14 finish at Final Stage of 2023 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, guaranteeing starts in the first 12 events of the season
• Oklahoma State alum Zach Bauchou (T5/-16) cards a bogey-free 4-under 68 and stands inside the top five after 54 holes for a second consecutive start (T5/The Ascendant presented by Blue/finished T13)
• 36-hole leader Cooper Dossey (T5/-16), who finished T13 at last week’s Ascendant presented by Blue, chips in for eagle at the par-5 18th to card a 2-under 70; trails by three strokes in position T5
• Nick Gabrelcik (T14/-14), who finished No. 5 in the 2024 PGA TOUR University Rankings, posts a bogey-free 7-under 65 and holds the highest 54-hole position of his career at T14 (previous; T38/2024 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open Benefitting KU Wichita Pediatrics/finished T31)
  • Earned Korn Ferry Tour membership for the remainder of the 2024 season and an exemption for Final Stage of 2024 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry with his top-five finish in the final PGA TOUR University Rankings