Matt Kuchar kept another clean card and shot a 4-under 66 to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Sony Open in Hawaii as he goes for his second victory this season on the PGA TOUR.
Kuchar ended a three-year drought by winning the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico last fall.
He has made only one bogey through 54 holes at Waialae Country Club, and his 18-under 192 was the lowest 54-hole score of his career.
Andrew Putnam was two shots behind after a 67. Keith Mitchell had a 63 and was four behind, along with Chez Reavie (66).
Those were the only players within five shots of the lead, and all of them are chasing Kuchar. He is 2-2 in his career when leading going into the final round.
South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli carded a third round 67 – matching his opening round start – to sit in the group sharing 27th, which also includes Durban-born, but now Slovakia representative Rory Sabbatini.
In a repeat of his second round display, Frittelli hit 13 greens in regulation, but was able to score far better as he climbed eight places in a bid to ensure a solid earning start to 2019.
It was far from perfect on Saturday for the Texas resident as he bogeyed the fourth after finding the greenside bunker off the tee. One bogey followed the other as he two-putted the fifth to drop another shot.
He would begin his bounce-back as he made the turn with a birdie, courtesy of a five-foot birdie on the par-5 ninth.
Frittelli was back to level for the day after rolling in a 12-footer on the 14th after making light work of the 430-yard par-4.
A closing eagle – he had just 10 foot left to convert – helped the South African sign for a 67 with the likes of Patrick Reed and Justin Thomas, now just one stroke ahead with 18 to play.
