Kuchar dominant in Mexico
For three days in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Matt Kuchar has felt in total control of his game at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. It shows in his score. For the second straight day, Kuchar had enough birdies to atone for one rough hole, and it carried him to a 6-under-par 65 to set the 54-hole tournament record and build a 4-shot lead as he tries to end more than four years without a PGA Tour victory. Kuchar was at 20-under 193, breaking by 3 shots his 54-hole personal best. “I felt really, really good for three days,” Kuchar said. “I mean, 20-under is my best 54-hole total. I felt in control of my ball striking.” Kuchar saved par from just off the green at the 18th to keep his 4-shot margin ahead of Whee Kim, who had a 66. The last time Kuchar had a 4-shot lead going into the final round was the 2014 Houston Open, and he wound up losing in a playoff when Matt Jones made a 45-foot birdie putt on the last hole and then chipped in from 40 yards in a playoff. The other two times Kuchar had the 54-hole lead, he won the Memorial in 2013 one week after losing a 1-shot lead at Colonial. Richy Werenski and Danny Lee each shot 67 and were 5 shots back, followed by a group that included PGA Tour rookie of the year Aaron Wise (63) and Cameron Champ (69).
Sergio on top
Sergio Garcia leads by 2 strokes going into the final round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa, and is on course for a wire-to-wire win at the penultimate event of the European Tour season. Garcia improved his 1-shot overnight lead ahead of Louis Oosthuizen. The gap would have been bigger if not for a 2-shot swing that went Oosthuizen’s way on the final hole of the third round at Gary Player Country Club.
Lopez breaks through
Gaby Lopez won her first LPGA Tour event with a 1-over 73 to finish 1 shot ahead of Ariya Jutanugarn at the Blue Bay tournament in Hainan Island, China. Lopez had bogeys on the last two holes at the Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club and almost let the title slip away. She finished at 8-under 280. Playing in a group with Lopez, No. 1-ranked Jutanugarn had a birdie on the final hole to also finish on 73.
McCarron rallies
Scott McCarron moved into position to win the PGA Tour Champions’ season points race, making birdies at the final two holes for a 1-stroke lead at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix. McCarron shot a 5-under 66. Stephen Ames and Tim Petrovic are tied for second.