Villegas, Kuchar share lead at PGA Tour Mexico event

As the PGA Tour’s World Wide Technology Championship rolled into Mexico, Matt Kuchar and Camilo Villegas found themselves tied for the lead after an eventful third round. Kuchar initially surged ahead, boasting a six-stroke advantage before an unfortunate quadruple-bogey at the 15th hole. However, he managed to recover and matched Colombian Villegas, both sitting at 19-under 197 after 54 holes at Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico.

In the face of his setback, Kuchar remained optimistic, stating, “I saw a big lead go away but I feel awfully pleased at the state of my game.” He acknowledged the challenging nature of the 15th hole, saying, “That’s the only one I’d love to have back.”

Meanwhile, Villegas closed out the round strong, birdying three of the last four holes to shoot 69. Reflecting on his performance, he expressed satisfaction with the progress he has made over the past year, remarking that the “tough” swing changes he implemented were paying off.

Behind Kuchar and Villegas, South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen claimed the third spot with a score of 198, accompanied by Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes, and Americans Justin Suh and Will Gordon, all tied at 199.

Kuchar set the course ablaze, specifically designed by Tiger Woods for a PGA Tour event, with an impressive eagle and six birdies on the front nine, resulting in a seven-under 29. However, he faced challenges later on, including the aforementioned quadruple-bogey at the 15th, a bogey at the 16th, and two closing pars.

Remaining undeterred, Kuchar stated, “This course has some trickiness to it. But it’s golf. Every hole has the same value, the same importance to it. You can look at it multiple different ways. I’m playing really good golf. I really like the state of my game.”

Villegas, Kuchar’s playing partner, demonstrated resilience by birdying the 15th and 16th holes to catch up with Kuchar. Although he missed a four-foot par putt at the 17th, he made a crucial birdie on the final hole, securing his share of the lead.

Villegas acknowledged Kuchar’s temporary setback, saying, “Other than that, he put on a show out there.” With four PGA Tour titles to his name, the most recent in 2014, Villegas aims to stay in contention for the championship.

As the tournament approaches its conclusion, the stage is set for an intense battle between Kuchar and Villegas, two seasoned professionals. Both strive to add another PGA triumph to their respective records.

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