Smalley stays in contention at Colonial

Alex Smalley will enter another final round of a PGA Tour event in contention for his first victory.

The Jamestown resident shot 1-under-par 69 Saturday to join a tie for fifth place in the Charles Schwab Challenge, three strokes behind leader Eric Cole, who fired 63 to storm from back in the pack to take the 54-hole lead. Smalley made four birdies, three bogeys and parred the last six holes.

J.J. Spaun, Mac Meissner and Ryan Gerard are tied for second, two shots behind at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Hideki Matsuyama and Russell Henley are tied with Smalley at 9-under 201. Former Wake Forest golfer Michael Brennan is 8-under while Wake Forest native Akshay Bhatia is at 7-under.

Smalley, a former Duke standout who plays out of Sedgefield Country Club, finished second at the PGA Championship in his last tournament. Prior to that, he was 17th in the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow and seventh at the Miami Championship at Doral.