Cal Golf: Max Homa's Third-Round 66 Vaults Him to Tie for 9th at the Scottish Open

Max Homa delivered his best round of the week on Saturday at the Genesis Scottish Open — one day after he played 36 holes.

After shooting a 1-over 71 at The Renaissance Club on Friday, the 29-year-old Cal grad decided to play 18 more holes at the nearby North Berwick Golf Club.

“It's a bucket list golf course, and I never play 36 holes a day during a tournament week but for North Berwick, I had to,” Homa said. “I saw it on a video back in the day and I've been wanting to go for years. Very, very fortunate to have Scott take me out, the pro over there. It was a blast.”

And the extra walk did nothing to diminish Homa’s third-round performance.

He shot a bogey-free 4-under 66, climbing from 38th place to a tie for ninth. Homa enters Sunday’s final round at minus-2 and trailing leader Xander Schauffele by five strokes.

Homa, who carries a career-best No. 19 world ranking, shot 1-over 71 on both Thursday and Friday. He entered Saturday nine strokes off the pace.

Fellow Cal grad Collin Morikawa, the world’s No. 4 player, missed the cut Friday after carding a second-round 74.

Homa is tied with seven others entering the final 18 holes.

He assembled a remarkably clean round with birdies on Nos. 1 and 10 and an eagle 3 on the par-5 second hole. The rest of the day: 15 pars.

Afterward, Homa talked about how his detour Friday afternoon could pay dividends for his first-ever try at The Open next week.

“Got to see what we are going to have to do for next week. That's why playing North Berwick was so good because it's more so like St. Andrews than Renaissance is,” he said. “It was cool to get to experience two different links-stye golf courses, playing when it's firm and fast, I think it's enjoyable to play.”

Schauffele had six birdies and no bogeys through 16 holes, and took the lead at 9 under at that point. The world’s 11th-ranked player bogeyed his final two holes to finish at 4-under 66 for the day, but remains atop the field at 7 under.

"I had pretty much everything going," Schauffele said. "I was judging the bounces well and making the putts I needed to and getting up-and-down when I was missing the green. Six birdies through 16, no complaints. And a tough finish."

Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, who plays on the European tour, is two strokes back in second place at 5 under. He heated up on the back nine with an eagle on No. 10, followed by three straight birdies, and finished the day at 67.

Jordan Spieth climbed into a tie for third place at minus-4 with a round of 68 that included eagles on the 10th and 15th holes. Spieth is tied with Ryan Palmer and Jordan Smith.

Cameron Tringale, the leader since Thursday when he shot a 9-under 61, dropped into a three-way tie for sixth at minus-3 after a round of 74. Tringale started well Saturday with an eagle on No. 3 then faltered. He strung together bogeys on Nos. 6, 7 and 8, allowing the pack to catch him.

Cover photo of Max Homa by Aaron Doster, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo