Vegas takes 3rd-round lead in 3M Open in quest of first PGA victory since 2017
BLAINE, Minn. — Jhonattan Vegas birdied six of the final eight holes for an 8-under 63 and a one-stroke lead over Matt Kuchar on Saturday in the 3M Open.
Vegas had a 16-under 197 total at the TPC Twin Cities. The 39-year-old Venezuelan has three PGA Tour victories, the last a successful title defense in the 2017 Canadian Open.
“Just kind of makes you feel like you’re doing the right thing and you’ve just got to keep working hard,” Vegas said.
The 46-year-old Kuchar also shot 63, chipping in for eagle from 30 yards on the par-5 18th for probably the largest crowd roar of the tournament. He won the last of his nine PGA Tour titles at the 2019 Sony Open.
“You can really let your focus go, let all the focus that you’re carrying on, you can kind of just let that go and know that you’re done for the day and you can kind of enjoy the moment a little more than if you’ve got three or four holes left to go,” he said.
Maverick McNealy, with another 63, was two strokes behind. Patrick Fishburn, with yet another 63, was four back at 12 under with Sahith Theegala (66). Theegala won the Fortinet Championship last year for his first tour victory.
“A lot of low scores out there,” Theegala said. “I don’t know how, still feels hard walking off the 18th green, there’s so much water, so many stressful shots. Just hats off to the guys for shooting 64s and 63s, especially on the top of the board.”
Four shots back to start the day, Vegas birdied Nos. 5 and 6 and added three more two-birdie bursts on the back nine — on Nos. 11-12, 14-15 and 17-18. He made a 5-footer on the par-3 17th and tapped in on 18.
Vegas has dominated on the back nine through three rounds. He is even par on the front nine, but 16-under on Nos. 10-18.
“I’ve just been getting lucky on the back nine and hitting some good shots and making some great putts,” Vegas said. “You have to hit your irons really well on the back nine here, which I’ve been able to do for the past three days,” he said.
Kuchar missed the cuts in nine of his first 11 events this year and 11 of 18 overall, with his best finish a tie for 17th at the Charles Schwab Challenge two months ago.
On Saturday, he threeputted for double bogey on the par-3 fourth, then birdied the next four holes. He tapped in for birdie on the 167-yard 17th after a near ace.
“In the air I had a good feeling it was going to be good, not quite as good as it turned out,” Kuchar said. “I think it’s always a bonus on a tough hole when you get to walk up and tap a birdie in without even having to think about your second shot.”
Cam Davis (65), Adam Svensson (66) and Matt NeSmith (70) were five shots back at 11 under.
Second-round leader Taylor Pendrith had a double bogey and four bogeys in a 73 that left him six shots back.
SENIOR BRITISH OPEN
CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — K.J. Choi birdied the last hole to regain the sole lead after three rounds.
The South Korean golfer takes a one-shot lead into the final round at Carnoustie.
Choi, up by two overnight, led the field by six after 14 holes. Then consecutive double bogeys pegged him back and, going into the 18th, he was tied with
Richard Green, who carded a 4-under 68.
On a hole he bogeyed in the first two rounds, Choi birdied and closed with a 70.
Like Choi, Green has never won a senior major, but the Australian has finished top three in two senior majors this year.
India’s Arjun Atwal was third, two strokes behind Choi at 6 under after a 67.
Atwal was two shots clear of England’s Paul Broadhurst, the 2016 champion.
CPKC WOMEN’S OPEN
CALGARY, Alberta — Mao Saigo emerged from the wildfire-fed smoky haze at Earl Grey Golf Club with the lowest round in tournament history. Five hours later, Haeran Ryu and Lauren Coughlin found themselves well clear of the rest of the field.
Taking advantage of calmer conditions after two windy days, Saigo shot an 11-under 61 to jump from a tie for 46th to a tie for third — five strokes behind Ryu and four back of Coughlin on the tree-lined course with thick rough and small greens.
The 22-year-old Japanese player — an LPGA Tour rookie after winning six times on the JLPGA — holed out from 133 yards for eagle with a pitching wedge on the par-4 10th.
US JUNIOR AMATEUR
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Trevor Gutschewski outlasted Tyler Watts to win 4 and 3, earning an exemption to the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont.
The 17-year-old Gutschewski sealed the win with a short putt on the 33rd hole. He celebrated by hugging his father, PGA Tour player Scott Gutschewski, and his mom, Amy, on the 15th green at Oakland Hills.