Matt Kuchar one round away from returning to winner’s circle

Matt Kuchar, four years after his last PGA Tour title, leads by four heading to the final round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Matt Kuchar is golf’s version of a team that barely finishes above .500. Solid, just nothing spectacular. That looks to be changing this week in Mexico.

More than four years since his last win on the PGA Tour, Kuchar takes a four-shot lead into the final round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Playa del Carmen. He shot a six-under 65 in Saturday’s third round to finish at 20-under, setting a new 54-hole scoring record for this event.

Kuchar began the third round with a two-shot lead and continued to play solid golf, birding four holes on the front-nine. At the par-four 12th, he hit his approach to within three feet for another birdie. After his only bogey of the round at the 14th, Kuchar rebounded at the par-three 15th by hitting his approach right over the flagstick for another easy birdie.

Since last lifting a trophy at the RBC Heritage in April 2014, the 40-year-old Kuchar’s been among the most consistent players on tour. He has 32 top-10 finishes in that span but has yet to win his eighth PGA Tour title.

Kuchar is coming off a 2018 season that saw him record just four top-10s in 24 starts. Even after finishing 57th last week at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas, he still felt like he was hitting it well. He picked up right where he left off this week, and the results have finally come with it.

“2018 has not been my best year, has not been a highlight for me,” he said after his round. “Been a disappointing year. But it’s got signs now of righting the ship, and turning into a great start.”

Kuchar recognizes, however, that even with a four-shot lead he can’t begin to let up and play passively.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever had a lead like this in a PGA Tour event. You have to go play good golf. I can’t go out there and think a whole bunch of pars are going to get me in the winner’s circle. I still have to play good golf, I still have to go make a good number of birdies,” he said.

For most of the back nine on Saturday, it appeared like 23-year-old rookie Cameron Champ would be playing with Kuchar in Sunday’s final pairing. Champ, who won his first PGA Tour title at the Sanderson Farms Championship two weeks ago, and Kuchar couldn’t approach the game any more differently. Kuchar is averaging 293 yards off the tee this week. Champ, meanwhile, leads the field at 327 yards.

Champ birdied four holes on the back nine to get into second place and within four of Kuchar heading to the 18th. His approach bounced over the green, however, and he chunked his chip shot. Champ made double bogey on the hole to fall back to fifth place, six behind Kuchar.

Instead, it’s Korean Whee Kim, who shot 66 on Saturday, who is Kuchar’s closest challenger at 16-under. Richy Werenski and Danny Lee are tied for third at 15-under, five back. Among a large group at 13-under and tied for eighth are U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk and local hero Abraham Ancer.

Kuchar will look to shed the moniker Mr. Consistency on Sunday and instead be known as a PGA Tour champion once again. He begins that quest at 11:05 a.m. EST on Sunday with Kim and Werenski.