Knapp sinks 11 birdies, takes control at the Mexico Open
Tavatanakit takes 3-shot lead into the final round of LPGA Thailand
VALLARTA, Mexico — PGA Tour rookie Jake Knapp ran off 11 birdies Saturday and seized control of the Mexico Open at Vidanta with an 8-under 63, giving him a four-shot lead going into the final round with a spot in the Masters on the line.
Knapp began the third round in a four-way share of the lead and playing in front of the largest gallery while paired with Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico.
He wasted no time making himself the target. Knapp, a 29-year-old from UCLA, stuffed his opening shot into 2 feet and the next one to 4 feet for a birdie-birdie start. Turns out he was just getting warmed up. He closed out the front nine with five birdies over the last six holes for a 28, and no one got closer to him than three shots the rest of the way.
Sami Valimaki of Finland lost momentum on the back nine until finishing with birdie from the collar of the green on the par-5 18th for a 67, leaving him four shots back.
Knapp was at 19-under 194, and only Valimaki was within six shots of him. Ben Silverman (63), Henrik Norlander (65) and Chan Kim (66) were seven shots behind.
Ortiz, the younger brother of Carlos Ortiz, didn’t make a birdie until the 18th hole and had to settle for a 73, leaving him 10 shots out of the lead.
Of the leading five players going into the final round, none has won on the PGA Tour.
LPGA TOUR: In Chonburi, Thailand, local favorite Patty Tavatanakit shot a 6-under 66 to take a threestroke lead into the final round of the LPGA Thailand tournament.
Tavatanakit had a threeround total of 16-under 200 on the Siam Country Club Old Course at Chonburi southeast of Bangkok.
Madelene Sagstrom shot 69 and was in second place while Hye Jin-choi and Emily Kristine Pedersen shot 65s and were tied for third with Hyo Joo-kim, who had a 69 Saturday.
PGA CHAMPIONS: In Rabat, Morocco, Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina ran off four straight birdies on the back nine and closed with a 3-under 70 for a oneshot victory over Thomas Bjorn in the Trophy Hassan II, giving Gonzalez membership on the PGA Tour Champions for the first time.
Bjorn shot a 69 at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.
Y.E. Yang, who shared the 36-hole lead with Gonzalez, had a 73 and tied for third with Mark Hensby, who closed with a 71.
EUROPEAN TOUR: In Nairobi, Kenya, Spanish golfer Manuel Elvira moved into contention to join older brother Nacho as a European tour winner by taking a share of the lead after the third round at the Kenya Open.
The younger Elvira shot 4-under 67 and was tied for first place on 10 under overall with Darius Van Driel (68). The Dutchman had led the tournament after the first round and was in a three-way tie for first place after the second round.
The 37-year-old Nacho, whose only tour title came at the Cazoo Open in Wales in 2021, was also on the leaderboard — three strokes off the lead — in a tie for sixth after a 68. He is 9½ years older than Manuel.