Zach Adams doesn’t have an elaborate technical or emotional answer as to why he is playing his best golf of the summer in the SCGA Amateur.

“It’s patience, just patience,” said the recent high school grad who will be playing for the Gamecocks this fall.

After spending the first two rounds in a tie for second place, Adams took over the lead by shooting a third round 4-under par 68.

It was the best round of the day, but it didn’t start out that way.

Adam’s bogeyed his first hole, birdied his second and then put another birdie and bogey on his card to turn at even par.

Second round leader, Anderson University junior Calahan Keever held the lead until the 10th hole when Adams scored a birdie.

Keever was not able to answer and bogeyed four holes on the back nine to shoot a 40.

“It was my putting,” said Keever. “The greens were really fast and I never found my line today,” he said after finishing his third round at 5-over par.

It dropped him from first into a tie with former Clemson golfer Crawford Reeves for eighth place.

“Staying patient and trusting myself. I made a lot of putts and did the right things,” he said.

While Keever and most of the field struggled on the greens, Adams waited for his chances and when he had them he his birdies seemed automatic.

Adam’s didn’t do anything special before the tournament to tune up his game on the green.

“I just imagined myself making all those putts and trusting they would go in, and they all went in,” said the 2021 Blade Junior and SC Junior Match Play champion

Jake Miller, from Anderson, tried to catch Adams, but even with three straight birdies on holes 15, 16 and 17, Adams was able to hold his four-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club.

Miller will start the final round in second place.

The Bishop England High School grad didn’t start the summer playing at a championship level.

“My game is the best it has been all summer. I wqas sgruggling at thebegining of the summer, but feel my game is better than it has been in awhile,” he said.

With a four-shot lead, Adams will not back away from some agressive play.

“I’m going to keep on doing what I have been doing. If I can go for it on a hole, I’m going to do it, but I’m not gonig to do anything stupid,” siad Adams, whose main thought will be the same as it has been all week.

“Pateince, just patience,” he said.

Coastal Carolina golfer Garrett Cooper from Chesnee and Carlos Garre from Francis Marion ate tied at 3-under par for third place.

Scores from the third round of the SCGA Amateur being played a The Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Mytle Beach. https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/3369649

Hear from the third round leader, Zach Adams