When play was suspended on Saturday in the PGA Tour’s Palmetto Championship at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, Garrick Higgo was safely in the clubhouse in a share of third place ahead of the final round.

Higgo signed for a three-under-par 68 to move to eight-under-par for the tournament, and that puts him six shots behind the leader, Chesson Hadley, who had the 18^th left to play. Hadley was four shots clear of second-placed Harris English, while Higgo shared third with world number one Dustin Johnson, who also had just the 18^th to complete in his third round.

Higgo made five birdies and two bogeys in his round, and depending on the draw after the final three-ball completes the third round, could either be playing in the final group or have a date with Johnson. And, if he can get a little more accurate off the tee and on to the greens – he hit only 50 percent of the fairways in the third round, and two-thirds of the greens in regulation – he is certainly in with a chance of taking the title.

Behind Higgo, Erik van Rooyen carded a one-over-par 72 in the third round to slip 10 places to a share of 14^th at five-under for the tournament.

Wilco Nienaber, while he was long again off the tee – he popped his drive 385 yards on the third – succumbed to his inaccuracy as he only hit 57 percent of the fairways, and, as a result of having to play himself out of trouble, hit only half of the greens in regulation. He made three birdies, two bogeys and two double-bogeys on his way to a three-over-par 74 as he slid 23 places down the leaderboard into a share of 27^th.

Higgo had 29 putts in the third round, including a three-putt on the 11^th, and if he tightens up on that, he is going to be a handful in the final round.