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Justin Thomas ties 54-hole record on PGA tour to take seven-shot lead in Hawaii

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Highlights from the third round of the Sony Open. Justin Thomas holds a seven-shot lead

Justin Thomas tied the 54-hole record on the PGA Tour as he stretched his lead in the Sony Open in Hawaii to seven shots with a blemish-free five under par 65 on Saturday.

The 23-year-old became the youngest man in PGA Tour history to record a sub-60 round with an opening 59 in Honolulu before following it up with 64 on Friday for the lowest 36-hole total of all-time.

And he moved into the record books for a third day in a row as, despite his worst round of the week, a fifth birdie of the day on the final hole took him to 22-under-par overall to go into the final day in a commanding position.

Justin Thomas moved seven shots clear at the Sony Open in Hawaii
Image: Justin Thomas moved seven shots clear at the Sony Open in Hawaii

Two-time major champion Zach Johnson is Thomas' nearest challenger after matching his fellow American's third-round 65, while England's Justin Rose is among three players on 14 under par.

Thomas, who led by five overnight, made eight straight pars before opening his birdie account on the par-five ninth, while he picked up further shots at the 10th, 14th, 16th and 18th.

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He had made eagles on the 18th on Thursday and Friday although a putt from near 14 feet gave him a birdie in his first round of the week without a bogey.

"I was really happy to go bogey-free, that was a big goal of mine," Thomas told the PGA Tour's official website.

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Thomas only inches away from a hole-in-one on the 7th at the Sony Open

"I had a couple of saves but it was pretty easy, I was putting it in position off the tee. I just need to get a good night's rest and come out here and try and do it again."

Johnson also went bogey-free at Waialae Country Club, with birdies at the sixth, ninth, 10th, 12th and 18th, while Rose made a third round 66 to sit alongside American pair Gary Woodland and Hudson Swafford in a tie for third.

Zach Johnson hit a 65 on the third day at the Sony Open
Image: Zach Johnson hit a 65 on the third day at the Sony Open

Scotland's Russell Knox is a shot further back as is Kevin Kisner, who missed a putt from nine feet for eagle on the last that would have given him a round of 59. He instead tapped in for birdie for a 60.

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