Eric Cole fired a 7-under 63 to take a one-stroke lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial, reaching 12-under 198 after Saturday’s best round. Ryan Gerard surged late to finish one shot back, while J.J. Spaun and Mac Meissner remain within two shots an
FORT WORTH, Texas — Eric Cole made a statement early on Saturday, then sealed it with the kind of finish that turns a quiet round into a real opening move.
The PGA Tour veteran grabbed his first 54-hole lead of the season with a season-best 7-under 63 at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. He birdied four of his first eight holes, with his only bogey coming sandwiched by birdies on the back nine. Matching the tournament’s best round, Cole reached 12-under 198 and went into the final day one stroke ahead.
Ryan Gerard stayed close, finishing with a 68 that included back-to-back birdies. Mac Meissner carded a 67, and reigning U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun followed with a 68 to sit two strokes behind Cole.
Spaun’s day had a visible swing point: after bogeys on two of his previous three holes, he birdied the 428-yard 15th with a blast out of a greenside bunker.
The course played firm and fast as Hogan’s Alley held up in the heat of a 90 F (32 C) day after rain earlier in the week. Scoring averaged 71.2 for the third round, after being under par each of the first two days.
Cole, who said he expected tougher conditions, sounded relieved to have started strong anyway. “I kind of knew going into it that it was going to be a harder course, firmer conditions,” he said. “Getting off to that start and realizing how much harder the course was today was great.”
One of the day’s biggest swings belonged to the player who arrived leading. PGA Tour rookie Jordan Smith entered the round at 10 under with a one-stroke advantage, but finished with a 4-over 74. He posted four bogeys without a birdie, dropping to a tie for 19th. The collapse came in clusters: he had three consecutive bogeys at Nos. 5 through 7 after only one bogey in his first 40 holes before that.
Cole’s run through Saturday also carried a personal milestone into Sunday. This is the 120th PGA Tour start for the 37-year-old. whose mother. Laura Baugh. was the LPGA’s rookie of the year in 1973 and compiled 70 top-10 finishes over a 25-year LPGA career. Baugh’s birthday is Sunday, and Cole will go for his first PGA Tour win on her 71st.
His family ties to the game run deep. Bobby Cole, his father, won once on the PGA Tour.
Cole has been close enough to know how quickly momentum can disappear. He last played in the final group in the final round at the 2025 Sony Open, when he finished fifth. His PGA Tour debut came in 2021.
Saturday’s key shots came in the moments when the round could’ve slipped. Cole’s chip-in from 27 feet off the edge of the green at the 196-yard par-3 16th followed the bogey at the par-4 15th. He also birdied the 439-yard 14th after an approach landed inside five feet.
After beginning Saturday tied for 25th and five strokes off the lead. Cole’s message for what comes next was simple: the hard part isn’t behind him. “It’s not going to be an easy day tomorrow. I know that from my experience,” Cole said. “I know that it’s going to be difficult. but that’s why I practice really hard and that’s why I try and do everything the way I do so that I could be as prepared for whatever tomorrow brings.”.
Gerard’s finish mirrored that belief in the value of late conversion. He had three bogeys and three birdies before closing strong, including a tap-in birdie at the 399-yard 17th. At the 424-yard closing hole, he hit his approach to 6 feet while playing in the final threesome of the day.
He explained how his confidence met the reality of the course. “Felt like I was just kind of grinding it out pretty hard all day. Felt really confident with how I’ve been playing. I just didn’t feel like I was hitting it as close as yesterday and wasn’t leaving my ball in the greatest spots. ” Gerard said. “So it’s one of those. every shot really matters. any time you get a chance to capitalize on an opportunity you’ve got to take advantage of it.”.
Meissner, 27, lives in Dallas and played at SMU. He had five birdies through 11 holes, then missed chances late with two bogeys on the back nine. “There was a lot of positives. I like how I drove it on the front nine. I gave myself a lot of opportunities. a lot of birdie opportunities. ” Meissner said. “The goal tomorrow for sure will just be to try and get the ball in the fairway a little bit more. It’s difficult out here.”.
Mackenzie Hughes was the top Canadian, sitting four shots off the lead as the tournament heads into Sunday with Cole holding the advantage but not much breathing room.
Eric Cole PGA Tour Charles Schwab Challenge Colonial third round lead Ryan Gerard J.J. Spaun Mac Meissner Jordan Smith Mackenzie Hughes