While discussing his now-guaranteed promotion to the PGA Tour next year earlier this week, Frankie Capan III kept referring to the final two events of this Korn Ferry Tour season.
Sure, there are exciting things on the horizon for the North Oaks native, but he’s also looking forward to the work he has left to do on his current tour this year. And it shows in his playing this week.
Capan shot a 5-under-par 66 in the third round of the Nationwide Children’s Championship Saturday at Ohio State University Golf Club in Columbus to reach 12 under par for the week and extend a one-shot lead into the final round.
He has three rounds in the 60s this week. Saturday’s round featured four birdies, an eagle and just one bogey on a course where he told reporters he had to “play smart.”
“You really can’t force things here. I’m hitting some really good shots with my irons, which is good,” he said. “Yeah, you have to try to take advantage of it wherever you can. I was able to make a few putts and finished with a couple of birdies, which is good.”
Unlike many Korn Ferry Tour events this season, this one isn’t played on a course that’s particularly low-pitch. It’s also a place where players like Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas have won in the past, en route to stellar PGA Tour careers. Maybe there’s a correlation between that?
“I would say this course is a PGA Tour-style course,” Capan said. “You know, it’s a very solid golf course. You have to hit driver on most holes and hit really good shots everywhere to get a good score. So I think you can probably get away with a few misses on some of the courses we play throughout the year. On a course like this, I think it’s definitely a PGA TOUR-style course.”
Capan clinched his spot in the top 30 on the season points list, which equates to a spot on the top men’s professional golf tour next year, last week. He entered this week ranked 14th on the list. A win this week would move him to fourth. The higher a player finishes, the better positioned he is to earn starts on the PGA Tour next season. So every point counts.
Capan has had a great season on the Korn Ferry Tour so far. He has three top-five finishes, including two runner-up finishes. One thing he has yet to earn in two years on the tour is a victory.
That could change on Sunday.
“Yeah, it’s really important to me (to win). Obviously, I’d like to get a win before I move on,” Capan said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the moment. I played some good golf, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
