Last Sunday, Raleigh’s Michael La Sasso outdueled Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia to win his first-ever LIV Golf tournament in that tour’s season-ending event.
One Sunday later, Raleigh’s Ryan Gerald will go head-to-head with Victor Hovland in a quest for his first top-tier PGA Tour title, with Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Adam Scott and Ludvig Aberg looming just behind in the season-ending Tour Championship.
Playing with Hovland on Saturday Gerard shot 4-under 66 in the third round at East Lake Golf Club to set up another pairing with the Norwegian star, who shot 65 for a 15-under 195 total and a one-shot lead over Gerard in a battle for the $10-million first prize.
Gerard, a former UNC standout, made four birdies including a tap-in at the par-5 18th in a bogey-free round after his 26-foot eagle putt slipped just below the cup.
Akshay Bhatia, one of two other Raleigh-area natives to make the top 30 on the FedExCup points list and qualify for the tournament, is tied for 22nd place at 205. The other, Alex Smalley, who now lives in Jamestown, is at 207.
Gerard did win the 2025 Barracuda Championship, an alternate PGA Tour event, co-sponsored with the DP World Tour. Played with a Modified Stableford scoring format, it does not offer the winner a berth in the Masters.