Matt Kuchar builds upon lead at Mayakoba Golf Classic

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Notes and observations from the third round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club.  LEADING LIGHTS KUCHAR BUILDS LEAD Matt Kuchar shot a 6-under 65 to reach 20-under and build up a four-shot lead over Whee Kim (66) at the steamy Mayakoba Golf Classic on Saturday. Richy Werenski (67) and Danny Lee (67) are at 15-under, five back, with everyone else at least six shots behind. This marks the best-ever 54-hole score for Kuchar, 40, a seven-time PGA TOUR winner who finished 76th in the FedExCup last season after being in the top 20 for eight straight seasons. “I can’t imagine doing better through 54 holes,� said Kuchar, who had shot 64-64 the first two rounds. “I did think about it today that it would be nice to get to 7-under to match my first two rounds. … I’ve felt really, really good for three days.� Kuchar hit nine of 14 fairways at El Camaleon Golf Club, where accuracy off the tee is crucial. He’s 34 of 42 in that stat for the week, tied for third in the field. He also continued to hit greens (15 of 18), tame the greens (28 putts), and scramble well (eight of 10 for the week). His only hiccup was a bogey at the par-4 14th, of the two hardest holes Saturday. “This week it’s come together,� he said. “It’s been very satisfying.� Kuchar has used a local caddie this week as his regular caddie, John Wood, takes the week off to attend a reunion. David Giral Ortiz, who caddied for Mexico’s Armando Favela as he won a Mayakoba qualifier two weeks ago, has been the leader’s lucky charm, Kuchar said. Since finishing T3 at Mayakoba in ’08, he had played here just once, doing little besides make the cut. His most recent victory came at the 2014 RBC Heritage. NOTABLES CHAMP’S TOUGH ENDING. Cameron Champ, who won the Sanderson Farms Championship two weeks ago, was still in contention with an outside chance but double-bogeyed the 18th hole for a 69. He went from four off the lead to six back and in a tie for fifth. FOWLER DISAPPOINTED. Rickie Fowler three-putted from what he estimated to be four feet at the 12th and shot 69 to reach 10-under, but at 10 back he’s too far behind. “A little sloppy,� he said. “I missed a few short ones today that cost me probably at least three shots.� FINAU 8 BEHIND. Tony Finau, 9th in the FedExCup, shot 67, one of the better rounds of the day, but is still only 12-under and eight shots off the lead. He’s tied for 15th place. KIZZIRE STRUGGLES. Patton Kizzire was making a good show of it in his first title defense but struggled with a third-round 72 to fall to 10-under, 10 shots off the lead. OBSERVATIONS FURYK FOCUS RETURNS. Jim Furyk has gone from focusing on 12 players’ games to focusing on one player’s game after his turn captaining the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Now he’s trying to ascertain just exactly where he is with that one game, and seeing positive signs after a third-round 66 got him to 13-under total and into a tie for eighth. “It’s kind of fun to get back to playing again,� said Furyk, 48, who made par on 18 after his ball grazed the lip twice, once on his approach and once on his birdie putt of roughly five feet. When he closed with a 63 for a T4 at the Wyndham Championship last summer, it was his first top-five finish since the 2016 U.S. Open (T2). A 17-time PGA TOUR winner who won the 2010 FedExCup, he slipped to 141st and failed to make the Playoffs last season. “It was a lot of weeks where I didn’t really think about golf for me that much,� he said. Now he’s hoping starts at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (MC), Mayakoba and RSM Classic will help him assess his game. “I’ve got a lot of things I need to improve on,� Furyk said. “Had a lot of time off, had a lot of injuries the last few years.�  OFF DAY FOR MEXICO. It’s been a banner year for Mexico on TOUR, with four Mexican players earning full status for this season, and seven total teeing it at Mayakoba. Of the four made the cut at Mayakoba—Abraham Ancer, Jose de Jesus Rodriguez, Armando Favela and Oscar Fraustro—Ancer leads the way after a 67 got him to 13-under. Alas, Ancer’s 4-under score was better than his three countrymen combined, with Rodriguez (72) admittedly struggling in the heat and Favela (70) and Fraustro (71) mostly standing in place on moving day. QUOTABLES Toucan has brought me good luck.I don’t think you could drink enough.It was a lot of weeks where I didn’t really think about golf for me that much. CALL OF THE DAY For play-by-play coverage of the final round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic, listen at PGATOUR.COM. SHOT OF THE DAY

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