PARAMUS – Morgan Hoffmann’s 5-under-par 66 stood as the low round during today’s third round of The Barclays.
The bogey-free round by the 25-year-old Wyckoff native catapulted him from a tie for 39th place into a share of fourth entering Sunday’s final round at Ridgewood Country Club.
Hoffmann stands at 7-under 206, two shots behind the leaders, Jim Furyk and Jason Day, and one behind Hunter Mahan. Day and Mahan shot 68s and Furyk 69. Hoffmann is teeing off in Sunday’s second-to-last twosome with Mahan, at 1:55 p.m.
Hoffmann had five birdies on the Championship Course and his 66 was one shot better than the 67 carded by his former Oklahoma State teammate, Rickie Fowler, who is tied for 16th at 5-under.
“I like to be aggressive, and sometimes it puts me in good position, and sometimes it doesn’t,” said Hoffmann, who starred at Ramapo High and is a member of nearby Arcola CC. “This week I’m just going out and having fun and being as aggressive as possible.”
Hoffmann’s 66 placed him in position to earn the top-100 finish in the FexEx Cup standings needed to advance to the second leg of the four-event FedEx Cup Playoffs, next week’s Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston. He started The Barclays ranked 124th and currently projects 56th. He likely needs a top-25 finish Sunday to advance.
Hoffmann’s putting was superb today and led to consecutive birdies on the fifth, sixth and seventh holes. He made a 7-footer on the par-4 fifth, a 17-footer on the par-4 sixth, and a 34-footer on the par-4 seventh. He saved par on the par-3 eighth with a 14-footer.
On the 10th hole, at 230 yards the longest par-3, he chipped in from the collar from an estimated 41 feet. On the 13th, at 628 yards the longest on the course, he reached the green in three shots and sank a 13-footer.
When he reached 5-under, Hoffmann’s following grew from several dozen family members and friends to several hundred. He thoroughly enjoyed the support he received as the local kid returning home.
“Ever since I was a little kid playing hockey, the more fans, the more comfortable I felt,” said Hoffmann. “I really didn’t feel any pressure today. I swung the best I probably have in months, and the pressure kind of frees me up. I don’t know why but it feels great.”
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