Zach Bauchou takes one-stroke lead into Sunday at Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance

FRENCH LICK, Ind. – Last fall, Zach Bauchou withdrew from PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry’s Final Stage after 12 holes of his opening round. He surrendered a chance for his first PGA TOUR card to be with his wife for a priceless moment – the birth of their first child, son James.

Fast forward to this week’s Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance and Bauchou is on the verge of another life memory. Bauchou, 28, holds a one-stroke lead over Doc Redman into the final round at French Lick Golf Resort’s Pete Dye Course, after stuffing a wedge to 9 feet on the par-5 18th hole Saturday and converting for birdie to post 1-over 73 for a 9-under 207 total.

Bauchou, who grew up in Virginia and played collegiately at Oklahoma State, led by four strokes into Saturday but suffered a bad break at the par-3 fourth when his tee shot hit the flagstick and careened well off the green, leading to a bogey. He played his next 13 holes in 1 over before the closing birdie, but his relatively neutral third round allowed the field to catch up. Despite a bogey and double bogey on the front nine’s two par 5s, Redman battled to a 2-under 70 to pull within one shot. Brian Campbell, Daniel Summerhays, Pontus Nyholm and Frankie Capan III share third place at 6 under, three back of Bauchou’s lead.

“It means a lot,” Bauchou said Saturday afternoon. “You know, anytime you have a chance to win a tournament's a nice feeling, especially the Tour Championship. I haven't had that many chances to win this year. I've had a couple outside chances, but this is certainly my best chance. It will be fun and it will be a good test.”

Bauchou knows what’s at stake Sunday. He entered the week at No. 35 on the season-long Korn Ferry Tour Points List, with the top 30 after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship earning 2025 PGA TOUR membership. He knew he needed somewhere between a second- and fourth-place finish, pending the results of players around the bubble, and he’s on track to fare even better. Still one day remains, and wind could pose a challenge Sunday across the Pete Dye Course’s mountainous terrain. He doesn’t have much wiggle room, but he has ample perspective – he planned for a low-key Saturday evening in southern Indiana, hanging out with his son as his wife, who is currently pursuing an MBA, took an online exam.

Bauchou entered 2024 with conditional Korn Ferry Tour status after finishing No. 82 on the 2023 season-long standings, an impressive effort considering he began the season with no status and made just eight starts. He considers iron play his strength and has elevated that area of his game this season; he ranks No. 19 on the Korn Ferry Tour in greens in regulation. He’s just 33rd in that category this week but ranks No. 1 in putts per green in regulation, a good week to elevate in that area. Now he’s a day away from a lifelong dream – he’s projected to move to No. 13 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List with a win.

“Because there's so many guys around 30, it's a little bit even hard to gauge how many points you need,” Bauchou said. “You know, I could need to finish second or fourth. Obviously I know that, but I'm trying to close the tournament out.

“I'll look at the leaderboard … I know where I stand. I'll be focused on playing well tomorrow.”

Redman entered the week at No. 57 on the season-long standings and is projected to move to No. 31 with a solo second. The Clemson alum has made 122 career PGA TOUR starts and this marks his first full Korn Ferry Tour season, as he finished runner-up at the TOUR’s 2019 Rocket Mortgage Classic as a Monday qualifier to earn Special Temporary Membership and kept his card until finishing No. 157 on the 2023 FedExCup Fall standings to lose status. He has made 15 cuts in 23 starts this season but is without a top-five finish. This week would be an opportune time for his first; he might need a win to move inside the top 30, but a solo second could be enough pending the finishes of other players around the bubble.

“I think I'd just like to have another really good day like this and be proud of myself at the end of it,” Redman said. “I think if I can do that, I'll be happy.”

Additional third-round notes

• Zach Bauchou (first/-9), who entered the day with a four-stroke lead, secures his first 54-hole lead on the Korn Ferry Tour.
  • No. 35 on the Points List, Bauchou has nine top-25 finishes, including four top-10s, in 23 starts this season; his best finish of the year is a T3 (NV5 Invitational).
  • With a win, Bauchou is projected to move up to No. 13 on the points list based on current standings.
  • Prior to turning professional in 2019, Bauchou played collegiately at Oklahoma State University where he was a member of the 2018 NCAA National Championship team.
• Doc Redman (second/-8), No. 57 on the Points List, sits in solo second to claim his best 54-hole position in a Korn Ferry Tour start; marks the fourth time this season Redman enters the final round inside top 10.
  • Currently in solo second, Redman is projected to move from 57th to 31st on the Points List.
  • In 23 starts this season, Redman has six top-25 finishes, including two top-10s, with his best being a T6 at the Club Car Championship at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club; Redman is in his first full Korn Ferry Tour season after spending the previous four seasons on the PGA TOUR, making 110 starts from 2019-23.
• Brian Campbell (T3/-6), who is currently No. 9 on the points list and was declared #TOURBound earlier this season, stands inside the top 10 after 54 holes for the sixth time this season with a bogey-free 5-under 67 in the third round.
• Daniel Summerhays (T3/-6), who is No. 38 on the points list, carded a third-round 4-under 68 and would move up to No. 33 based on current projections.
• Pontus Nyholm (T3/-6) is inside the top-10 after 54 holes for the fifth time this season.
  • Nyholm is ranked 40th on the points list and is currently projected to move up to 35th.
• Frankie Capan III (T3/-6), who is coming off his first career win two weeks ago at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, sits inside the top 10 after 54 holes for the sixth time this season.
  • A second-year member on Tour, Capan entered the week No. 5 on the Points List and already achieved #TOURBound status with 11 top-25s and six top-10s in 24 starts this season.
• Kevin Roy (T11/-4) entered the third round T48 and climbed to T11 following a bogey-free 4-under 68.
  • Roy currently sits 14th on the points list and has already been declared #TOURBound.
• Tommy Gainey (T16/-3), No. 50 on the points list, cards the low round of the day with an 8-under 64.
• Based on current projections, the last five players in the top 30 are:
  • No. 26 Ricky Castillo (T45/+3) – began week No. 24
  • No. 27 Danny Walker (T57/+5) – began week No. 25
  • No. 28 Trevor Cone (T31/-1) – began week No. 29
  • No. 29 Noah Goodwin (T45/+3) – began week No. 26
  • No. 30 Aldrich Potgieter (T61/+6) – began week No. 27
• Based on current projections, the first five players out of the top 30 are:
  • No. 31 Doc Redman (2nd/-8) – began week No. 57
  • No. 32 Sam Bennett (T53/+4) – began week No. 30
  • No. 33 Daniel Summerhays (T3/-6) – began week No. 38
  • No. 34 Pontus Nyholm (T3/-6) – began week No. 40
  • No. 35 Trent Phillips (T63/+7) – began week No. 31
• The Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance is the 26th and final event of the 2024 season, and the top 30 players on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List upon conclusion of the final round will earn PGA TOUR membership for the 2025 season.
• Upon conclusion of the final round, players ranked Nos. 31-60 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn an exemption to Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, where 2025 PGA TOUR membership will be awarded to the top five finishers and ties.