Padraig Harrington takes three-shot lead Saturday at SAS Championship

Things to know

• World Golf Hall of Fame member Padraig Harrington uses seven birdies to offset two late bogeys and sign for a 5-under 67, good for a three-stroke lead in his bid for a third win of the season on PGA TOUR Champions.
• On the strength of a 7-under 65 in Round 2, highlighted by an ace and eagle-2, David Toms positions himself for a fifth top-10 finish in the SAS Championship (seventh start).

Padraig Harrington (Leader/11)

• After opening with a bogey-free 6-under 66 to get within one of the 18-hole lead, the World Golf Hall of Fame member followed with a 5-under 67 in his third SAS Championship start to step out to a three-stroke advantage.
  • Previous finishes in the event: T45/2023, T25/2022.
• When holding a 36-hole lead/co-lead in PGA TOUR Champions’ 54-hole events, he is a perfect 4-for-4 converting for the win; the two most recent occasions came this season at the Hoag Classic Newport Beach and DICK’S Open.
• With a win Sunday, he would become the third player in as many seasons to successfully convert a 36-hole lead/co-lead into victory at the SAS Championship, joining Rod Pampling (2023) and Fred Couples (2022).
• In addition to the two wins this season, he has collected additional top-10 finishes at the Regions Tradition (T8), The Senior Open Championship (T5) and Shaw Charity Classic (T7).
• Seeks a ninth win on PGA TOUR Champions and third of the season.
• In his most recent PGA TOUR Champions start, finished T63 at The Ally Challenge at the end of August; most recent TOUR-sanctioned finish came in the form of a T22 at The Open Championship.
• Began the week at No. 10 in Charles Schwab Cup standings.

Other notes

• Highlighted by an ace on the par-3 11th (202 yards/5-iron) and an eagle-2 at No. 16 (143 yards/8-iron), David Toms played his last 11 holes in 7-under par en route to a 7-under 65, his lowest score on PGA TOUR Champions in relation to par since this final round of 2024’s season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai (fourth); he will enter the final round of his seventh SAS Championship T2 and three strokes back at 8-under 136; he finished inside the top 10 in each of his first four starts in the event.
• Shane Bertsch, who closed last week’s Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS with an 8-under 64 to climb inside the top 20 at T18, opened his fourth SAS Championship in 69-67 to reach T2 at 8-under 136; best of three previous starts in the event: T36/2022.
• After making birdie on his last four holes in round one to post 5-under 67, 2019 SAS Championship winner Jerry Kelly signed for a 3-under 69 in Saturday’s second round to reach T2 at 8-under 136; in six previous starts in the event, he has finished inside the top six on four occasions and no worse than T19 (2023).
• After opening in 7-under 65, good for the 18-hole lead, Billy Andrade signed for a 4-over 76 in Saturday’s second round and sits T21 at 3-under 141.
• In his bid to join Bruce Lietzke (2001-02) as players to successfully defend a SAS Championship title, Rod Pampling followed an opening-round 2-over 74 with a 3-under 69 in round two to reach T33 at 1-under 143.
• At the conclusion of the SAS Championship, the top 72 players in the Charles Schwab Cup standings will advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, beginning at next week’s Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Richmond, Virginia. Here’s a look at how those around the bubble stands through two rounds: