Devon Bling, David Pastore share third-round lead at Bromont Open presented by Desjardins

BROMONT, Québec – Devon Bling and David Pastore share the third-round lead after each carding 7-under 63s on Saturday at the Bromont Open presented by Desjardins. Thomas Hutchison and Ryan Burnett are tied for third at 14-under. David Perkins and second-round leader John Keefer share fifth at 13-under.

Bling holds the 54-hole lead for the second time in his career after carding his season-low score of 7-under 63 in the third round. The 24-year-old was 4-under in his final five holes and secured a spot in Sunday’s final grouping for the first time this season. Bling has recorded the most amount of birdies in the field this week in 22 total with over half of them coming from the back-nine alone (12).

The California native has made the cut in each appearance this season and has posted five top 25s. His best showing came at the season’s inaugural event, the Bupa Championship at Tulum, where he finished tied for seventh. He followed this showing with a T17 at the Totalplay Championship at Atlas Country Club and a T8 at the 69th ECP Brazil Open. Through his first three events, Bling was inside the top 10 of the Fortinet Cup at No. 9. Although he currently sits at No. 26 in the points list, a win would project Bling to enter next week’s Commissionaires Ottawa Open inside the top 10.

Bling played five collegiate seasons at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he recorded 11 top-10s, highlighted by three individual victories (2018 Jackrabbit, 2020 Bandon Dunes Championship, 2021 Lamkin San Diego Classic). After turning professional in 2022, he earned status for the 2023 PGA TOUR Canada season via the PGA TOUR Canada Qualifying Tournament. In his first full season as a pro, Bling posted three top-10s including two back-to-back runners-up (T2/Commissionaires Ottawa Open, T2 Windsor Championship). Bling finished No. 10 in the Fortinet Cup to earn exempt membership to the inaugural season of PGA TOUR Americas.

David Pastore shares the top of the leaderboard with Bling entering Sunday’s final round. This marks Pastore’s second 54-hole lead/co-lead after he led the 2016 Niagara Championship on PGA TOUR Canada, which he went on to win to secure his first and only PGA TOUR-sanctioned victory to date. Pastore tied his career low in Saturday’s 7-under 63, as his previous instance was at The 2021 Fuzzy Zoeller Classic at Covered Bridge Golf Club. Pastore is in the final grouping for the first time this season.

The 32-year-old looks to upgrade his conditional membership after falling outside the top 60 of the Latin America Swing this season. Pastore ended Segment I at No. 62 in the Fortinet Cup, and after attempting mid-season Q-School for exempt membership, relied on his conditional status to get into the first four events of the North America Swing. A win would secure Pastore exempt membership throughout the rest of the season and into the Latin America Swing of the 2025 season.

Bling and Pastore are set to tee off at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday with Thomas Hutchison. Final-round tee times begin at 8:00 a.m. ET and will run until 12:30 p.m. ET in threesomes off the No. 1 tee on Sunday.

About Devon Bling (T1/-15)  

Age: 24
Birthplace: Ridgecrest, California
Residence: Ridgecrest, California
College: University of California, Los Angeles
Fortinet Cup (start of week): 26th

• Played five collegiate seasons (2017-22) at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he recorded 11 top-10s, highlighted by three individual victories (2018 Jackrabbit, 2020 Bandon Dunes Championship, 2021 Lamkin San Diego Classic)
• In a strange coincidence, all three collegiate wins came on Mar. 10, winning on that date, three-consecutive years in a row
• Finished No. 10 in the 2023 PGA TOUR Canada Fortinet Cup to earn playing privileges on PGA TOUR Americas; compiled three top-10s including his best career finishes of two back-to-back runners-up (PT2/Commissionaires Ottawa Open, T2 Windsor Championship)
• Wears very specific 'lucky' outfits
• Is an accomplished pianist

About David Pastore (T1/-15)  

Age: 32
Birthplace: Greenwich, Connecticut
Residence: West Palm Beach, Florida
College: University of Virginia
Fortinet Cup (start of week): 78th

• Earned exempt membership to the Latin America Swing after finishing No. 59 in the 2023 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Totalplay Cup; is currently a conditional member for the North America Swing via finishing outside the top 60 at No. 62 in Segment I
• Was a First Tee member as a kid and grew up playing with his brothers for $3.50 in the Bronx; his parents would caddie for him and his brothers
• Two brothers played college golf, at the University of Connecticut (Stephen) and the University of Hartford (Paul)
• Attended Greenwich (Conn.) High School, the same school that produced Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young
• Favorites include the University of Virginia, the New York Yankees, Knicks and Rangers (sports teams), Tom Brady, Derek Jeter and Arnold Schwarzenegger (non-golfers), Candy Crush Saga (app), Gucci Mane (entertainer) and "Dumb & Dumber" (movie)

Competition notes

  

Course Setup: Par 70 / 7,000 yards; R3 average: 68.72
Weather:

• Samuel Anderson (T9/-11) recorded a hole-in-one in the second round on the 191-yard par 3; capturing the second ace in PGA TOUR Americas history (Chris Crawford/Diners Club Peru Open)
• Jorge Villar (T15/-10) finished the third round as the low Latin after carding a second-round 7-under 63 followed by a 3-under 67
• Co-leaders Devon Bling (T1/-15) and David Pastore (T1/-15) posted the low round of the day in 7-under 63; each player holds the 54-hole lead for the second time in their careers
• Team Canada member Brendan MacDougall (T15/-10) leads Fortinet Cup No. 2 and fellow Team Canada member Matthew Anderson (T18/-9) as the two Canadians in the top-25
• Max Theodorakis, the only Monday Qualifier to make the cut, carded three consecutive rounds in 2-under 68 to enter the final round tied for 43rd
• Hole No. 1 – the 462-yard par 4 – is the most challenging hole at Château-Bromont; averaging a +.170
• Preferred lies were in effect for the first, second and third rounds