Neal Shipley Eyes First PGA Tour Title After Building One-Shot Lead In Asheville

Neal Shipley produced another composed and attacking display to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville, putting himself within reach of a first PGA Tour victory.

The PGA Tour rookie carded a bogey-free 65 on Saturday, highlighted by an eagle and a birdie on the two back-nine par-5s, to move to 21-under 192 at The Cliffs at Walnut Grove.

Shipley, who opened the tournament with a 65 before firing a spectacular 62 on Friday, has remained mistake-free through three rounds. His latest effort kept him ahead of Ben Kohles, who matched his 65 and moved to 20-under.

Shipley reached the par-5 15th in two shots with a 227-yard approach that finished just 7½ feet from the hole, converting the eagle putt. He then birdied the par-5 18th before closing with a par.

“I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing,” Shipley said. “Keep being me and keep having fun out there.”

The position is particularly significant for Shipley, who entered the week 183rd in the FedEx Cup standings. A victory would earn him a two-year PGA Tour exemption and secure a place in the more lucrative Championship Series in 2028 when the tour restructures its schedule.

“It would be huge,” Shipley said. “It would take a lot of stress off my back.”

Kohles, seeking his first PGA Tour title, stayed firmly in contention after birdieing three of his final four holes. He also eagled the par-5 third while playing alongside Shipley in the final threesome.

Eric Cole and Ricky Castillo shared third place at 17-under, while Jacob Bridgeman and Max Greyserman were another shot back at 16-under.

With thunderstorms forecast, organisers moved tee times forward and used groups of three from both the first and 10th tees. The same arrangement is expected for Sunday’s final round.