Adam Scott Posts 66 After Wrong Ball Penalty — Pga Leaderboard

Adam Scott climbed back on the pga leaderboard Saturday with a bogey-free 6-under 66 in the Cadillac Championship’s third round, reaching 3 under for the tournament after a two-stroke penalty earlier in the week for hitting the wrong ball. The 14-time TOUR winner turned a rough Thursday into one of the cleanest rounds of the day.

Scott’s Saturday Response

He opened the week with a 76 on Thursday, then added a 71 on Friday before the low round arrived in calmer morning conditions. Scott said he teed off early as the wind eased, and he made the most of it with six birdies and no bogeys.

“Bogey-free around this course is really a good round,” Scott said after finishing. “So luckily there was six birdies to go along with it, and it’s a good-looking score.” That was the cleanest possible answer to a rules mistake that already cost him two shots.

Wrong Ball On Eight

The penalty came on the par-5 eighth on Thursday after Scott pulled his tee shot into the rough and struck the wrong ball. The violation fell under Rule 6.3, produced a two-stroke penalty, and ended in a double bogey on the hole.

“It’s such a silly thing to do,” Scott said. “I think it’s the first time I’ve ever done it in my career.” He said afterward that his ball-striking had been better than his scores through the first two rounds, and Saturday’s 66 backed that up.

Doral Demands Precision

Scott also described the course as one that leaves little margin for error, with water on nearly every side and enough length to erase much of the distance advantage players may have gained over the last 10 years. He said, “Good ball-striking goes a long way and takes a lot of stress out of playing this golf course.”

That was the difference on Saturday. The penalty still sits on his card, but the 66 put him back into contention at 3 under and showed he can recover quickly on a course that punishes loose shots and rewards control.