DUBLIN, Ohio — Former champion Matt Kuchar surrendered the outright lead with a bogey on the tricky par-four 18th to conclude the third round of the weather-hit Memorial Tournament Saturday, setting up the prospect of a Sunday shootout.
Kuchar had stormed a stroke clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard with a run of four birdies in five holes from the 11th but stumbled at the last after finding a bunker off the tee and the right rough with his second to card a two-under-par 70.
That left American Kuchar at 14-under 202, level at the top with compatriots William McGirt (64) and long-hitting Gary Woodland (69) after another intriguing day of fluctuating fortunes at Muirfield Village.
First-round leader Dustin Johnson (68) was a further shot back in a tie for fourth with fellow American Jon Curran (68), Canadian Adam Hadwin (67) and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo (70), with another eight players no worse than three off the pace.
Among those was Australian world No. 1 Jason Day, who mixed seven birdies with a bogey and a double at the last for a 68 to trail by three in the prestigious PGA Tour event hosted by Jack Nicklaus.
Kuchar, who won the 2013 Memorial tournament and has recorded four top-10s in his last five PGA Tour starts, relished the prospect of challenging for the title in Sunday’s final round at one of his favorite venues.
“I love this golf course, this is the highlight for me of the year,” he said.
Journeyman McGirt, bidding for his first PGA Tour victory in his 165th career start, put himself in contention with a strong finish as he birdied three of the last five holes.
Icher shoots to lead
France’s Karine Icher tied a tournament record with a nine-under par 62 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the LPGA ShopRite Classic in Galloway, New Jersey.
The 62 was also a career-low round for the 37-year old Icher, who had a 36-hole total of 12-under par 132.
She was one stroke in front of South Korea’s Choi Na-Yeon, who carded a 64 and Japan’s Haru Nomura, who signed for a 66.
Defending champion Anna Nordqvist was a stroke back on 132 after a 68.
The world No. 58 Icher said she didn’t know until the final hole that she had tied the single-round scoring record for the tournament achieved previously by Laura Davies, Kang Ji-min and Jennifer Johnson.
She teed off on 10 and after four birdies in her first nine holes she birdied five coming in.
While Icher is seeking her first LPGA tour title, Nordqvist is chasing the first successful title defense of her career.
She hasn’t won since her victory here last year, when she trailed Morgan Pressel by one shot heading into the final round.
Fitzpatrick on course
England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick kept his head to see off a triple challenge and extend his lead to five shots after three rounds of the Nordea Masters in Stockholm Saturday.
The overnight leader, who started the day three clear, had been pegged back by the midway point at the Bro Hof Slott Golf Club, but played a superb back nine to record a four-under-par 68 and move to 15-under par.
Defending champion Alex Noren of Sweden, who shot 67, and Nicolas Colsaerts (70) were Fitzpatrick’s closest challengers.
England’s Lee Westwood, a former world No. 1, failed to make a move and remained five under after including a double-bogey in a round of 72.
Swede Henrik Stenson, the world number six, picked up two shots to card a 70 and finish on four under. — Agencies
