Reavie scorches back nine, bolts out to six-stroke lead

CROMWELL, Conn. — Chez Reavie was plodding along during the third round of the Travelers Championship, watching playing partner Zach Sucher extend his lead.

Then came the turn, both for the round and in the two players’ fortunes.

Coming off a third-place tie last week in the U.S. Open, the 37-year-old Reavie matched a tournament record with a back-nine 28 to shoot a 7-under-par 63. He took advantage of Sucher’s problems and turned a six-stroke deficit into a six-stroke lead heading into Sunday.

The 2008 Canadian Open winner for his lone PGA Tour title, Reavie had a 16-under 194 total at TPC River Highlands. He birdied Nos. 8, 10-13, 15 and 17-18 and has the largest 54-hole lead in Travelers history.

“Zach got some tough breaks early,” Reavie said. “I was able to kind of keep plugging along and make a few putts, and the rest was history. I kind of caught fire at the end.”

Sucher had a 71 to drop into a tie for second with Keegan Bradley (69) at 10 under.

Looking for his first PGA Tour win, Sucher — the 32-year-old former college star at Alabama-Birmingham — seemed to have it all going his way, until he didn’t.

He took a share of the lead in the last group Thursday, came into Saturday with a two-shot advantage and shot 31 on the front nine.

■ LPGA: At Chaska, Minn., Hannah Green three-putted for bogey on the 18th hole at Hazeltine National for a 2-under 70 in the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, leaving her at 9-under 207 and one shot clear of two-time major champion Ariya Jutanugarn (68).

Green, a three-time winner on the Symetra Tour in 2017, is in her second full year on the LPGA Tour and holds her first 54-hole lead.

Lizette Salas (68) and Nelly Korda (69) were four shots behind. Another shot back were Sei Young Kim (67) and defending champion Sung Hyun Park (71). Bishop Gorman product Inbee Park (69) was six shots back.

■ Champions: At Madison, Wis., Steve Flesch

birdied the final three holes for a 7-under 65 to reach 11-under 133 and hold a one-shot lead in the American Family Insurance Championship. Tournament host Steve Stricker (67), Billy Andrade (66) and Duffy Waldorf (67) were tied for second.

■ European PGA: At Munich, Jordan Smith carded a bogey-free 6-under 66 for a 13-under 203 total at the BMW International Open to hold a one-shot lead over Matthew Fitzpatrick (65) and Matthias Schwab (65).

Jessica Hill The Associated Press Chez Reavie follows through on his second shot toward the 18th hole Saturday in the third round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.