YOKOHAMA — Three Americans — Michael Brennan, Zach Bauchou and Jacob Bridgeman — share the lead at 13 under entering the final round of the PGA Tour's 2026 Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club near Tokyo, with five players just one shot back after three rounds.
Brennan made the biggest move among the co-leaders Saturday, signing for a 6-under 65 tied for the lowest round of the day to rebound from a double-bogey at the 18th on Friday. He was 6 under through 17 in the second round before making six at the last, then steadied Saturday with three birdies and a bogey in his first 11 holes before catching fire with three straight birdies on Nos. 12-14 and another at the 17th. "I played good golf. I've been playing good golf all week," Brennan said. "I played good golf yesterday, I was 6 under through 17 and made a six on the last, which was a bummer. So it was great to save par today. Been hitting my irons really well." He added, "I was honestly ― maybe an hour, hour and a half after the [second] round ― was still thinking about the double. It kind of eats at you a little bit," Brennan said. "But eventually I felt like I got past it ... there's a lot of golf left and I'm able to come back from it."
Brennan, the 24-year-old former Wake Forest standout who won the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship on a sponsor exemption and the 2026 Wyndham Championship in July to finish 46th in the FedEx Cup standings, is seeking his third PGA Tour victory. "It would be unbelievable [to win the Baycurrent Classic]," Brennan said. "This is my first time in Japan, first time in Asia. It's been an amazing experience, I've loved it over here. The fans have been great, super supportive. They're very polite. It would mean a lot to win over here. It would be really, really cool." Bridgeman is also chasing his third career win and his second in three weeks after winning the Biltmore Championship Asheville. He opened with an 8-under 63 to lead after round one and has held at least a share since, but bogeys at Nos. 16 and 18 Saturday dropped him back into the tie after he was 4 under through 15. "I'm kind of pleased that I shot 2 under, I feel like I didn't play very good today," Bridgeman said. "I feel very comfortable," he added. "Even though I wasn't hitting it great, I didn't feel like I was nervous or feel the pressure at all." Bauchou, the 30-year-old rookie who has posted rounds of 69, 64 and 67, is in the final group Sunday seeking his first Tour win. "Very excited," Bauchou said. "I haven't had that many chances to win obviously this year ... this week I've driven the ball pretty well, which is important out here because the fairways are pretty narrow."
Five players sit at 12 under, one off the lead: Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, Keith Mitchell, Stephan Jaeger and Jordan Smith. Thomas, a 16-time winner on Tour, missed the cut in his first start this year coming off back surgery that kept him out until March but has made the weekend in every start since and helped the U.S. win the Presidents Cup two weeks ago in Chicago. He has not won in 2026 and has one victory in the past four years, but has finished runner-up twice before in Japan. "I wish I knew [why I play well in Japan] because I would love to channel it year round all the time. I'm not sure," Thomas said. "Yeah, I have a great track record. I'm going to try to use that to my advantage." Scott is looking to end a victory drought spanning more than six years after finishing 11th in the FedEx Cup standings this season.