Playing out of the 11th-to-last threesome, World No. 217 Pat Perez painted a bogey-free 5-under-par 31-35=66 in the third round of the 3M Open to reach 10-under 203, up 22 places to T4, two swings shy of 54-hole leader Cameron Tringale, who also fired a bogey-free 66.
The 45-year-old, bogey-free for his last 42 holes, will play out of the penultimate twosome in R4 with first-timer Maverick McNealy, who’s bogey-free for his last 26 holes. He’s chasing his fourth TOUR title in 494 events, first since the 2018 CIMB 91 starts ago, where he was the 54-hole leader by four and won by four. Prior to that, he won the 2017 OHL Classic, where he came from one back (2nd) with 4-under 67 to win by two over 54-hole leader Gary Woodland. The Arizona State product, who began with 72-65, has contested all three, 3M Opens, with progressively better finishes of T53/2019 and T23/2020 (70-69-66-67). Today, he penciled five birdies, three from between 11 and 23 feet, on nine (of 14) fairways and 14 greens in regulation. The Phoenix native gained 2.144 on-the-green and posted a 4.306 SG: Total. (See link to post-round comments below).