Kuchar hangs tough, leads at Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio — Matt Kuchar couldn’t think of conditions more difficult than Saturday in the Memorial, and he had plenty of evidence.

The swirling wind made it difficult to pull the right club. Fast greens led to 65 3-putts in the third round alone. And a 44 on the back nine for Tiger Woods was the highest nine-hole score of his professional career.

“I think most of us would tend to be surprised any time Tiger shoots a number like that, but a lot more understandable in these conditions,” Kuchar said after hanging on for a 2-under 70 that gave him a 2-shot lead.

“If you’re not on good form, these conditions are really going to beat you up.”

Woods rallied on the front nine to salvage a 79, matching his second-worst score on the PGA Tour. And that wasn’t even the highest score on a tough day at Muirfield Village. Jordan Spieth shot 45 on the front nine for an 82, while Zach Johnson and Justin Hicks each had an 81.

Kevin Chappell matched the best round of the day with a 4-under 68, leaving him 2 shots out of the lead, along with Kyle Stanley, who had a 70. Chappell is seeking his first PGA Tour event victory.

Kuchar was at 8-under 208, among 10 players separated by 4 shots.

LPGA Tour

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Shanshan Feng shot a marvelous 4-under 67 before the wind picked up Saturday and grabbed a 3-shot lead after two rounds of the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Feng, who last year became the first Chinese player to win an LPGATour title and a major event in capturing the LPGA Championship, matched the best score of the day. Using a new set of clubs, she had a 6-under136 total on the wind-whipped Bay Course at the Stockton Hotel and Golf Club.

First-round co-leader Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Haeji Kang of South Korea shared second at 3 under. Jutanugarn had a 73, and Kang shot 69.

Defending champion and second-ranked Stacy Lewis shot a 9-over 80, matching her worst round since the third round of U.S. Women’s Open last year. She fell from third to a tie for 50th.

Champions Tour

DES MOINES, Iowa — It has been 13 years since Duffy Waldorf won a tournament.

Waldorf could easily end that streak Sunday with one more proficient round.

Waldorf shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday to take a 1stroke lead after the second round of the Principal Charity Classic.

Waldorf, the only player in the field to break 70 in both rounds, had an 8-under136 total. Bart Bryant and Jay Don Blake were tied for second. Bryant had a 64, and Blake shot a 66.

Russ Cochran was 6 under after a 67. Tom Lehman led a group of five at 5-under 139.

The 50-year-old Waldorf is winless in 12 career starts on the 50-and-over tour.

He took advantage of calm conditions at the Wakonda Club to post a bogey-free round after opening with a 69 for a share of the first-round lead.