Kuchar finishing strong

VERONA — Matt Kuchar was once the golden boy of golf in the late 1990s, much like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer before him.

He was destined to make a huge splash on the PGA Tour with his unforgettable smile and all-around talent. But after a stellar amateur career at Georgia Tech, including winning the 1997 U.S. amateur as a college sophomore, and a couple of fine years on tour in the early part of this decade, Kuchar has fallen back into the shadows.

He has but one win on tour, the 2002 Honda Classic, and his name has never been linked to major championships during his nine years on the top pro circuit. Still, he remains as positive and upbeat as ever, reveling on being able to make a living doing what he loves, and forever hopeful of finally reaching his potential.

"I know I've improved so much in the last few years,'' Kuchar said Saturday after shooting a third round 5-under-par 67 to tie rookie Scott Piercy for the lead at 14-under-par after the third round of the Turning Stone Resort Championship. "People always ask my why I haven't won more, and I don't really have an answer. But now I'm confident enough in my game to win again. And today I put myself in position do that.''

It won't be easy, however. Forget a final-round shootout. Today figures to be more of a stampede as 12 players are within five shots of the lead. And with a similar forecast today of sunny weather, it could be a wild race to the finish to see who collects the first prize of $1.8 million.

Australian Rod Pampling, who shot the low round of the day with a 7-under-par 65, is at 13-under par along with first-day co-leader Leif Olson (68).

Nicholas Thompson (69) is alone at 12-under, while Jonathan Byrd, first-day co-leader Tim Petrovic, Fredrik Jacobson and Friday's pacesetter, Vaughn Taylor, are tied at 11-under par.

With temperatures in the low 70s, some 30 degrees warmer than in Thursday's first round, scores dropped precipitously. The average score was 70.02, a shot and a half lower than Friday and almost three shots better than Thursday. Fifty-six of the 75 players shot below par, and 34 scored in the 60s.

The winds did pick up during the afternoon, making scoring conditions a little less favorable for the leaders. Still, the softness of the course and the ability to move balls in the fairway and rough has set up a made for a scramble today at Atunyote Golf Club.

"I don't like to set a number, but you've go to go low again on Sunday for sure,'' said Kuchar, who ranks 59th on the 2009 money list ($1,295,483) and has three top 10 finishes this season. "It could take another 5 or 6 under, so you've got to keep the gas peddle down.''

Kuchar, who missed the cut here two years ago in his only Turning Stone appearance, even was forced to play the Nationwide Tour in 2006 after he lost his PGA Tour privileges when his ranking fell to 159 in 2005. But he has battled back to the big tour, seeing his ranking jump from 115 in 2007, to 70 in 2008, to 59 this year.

With a top 25 finish this week, Kuchar will set a personal best with nine for the season.

"It's taken a lot of hard work and determination,'' said Kuchar, whose father, Peter, is a Watertown High School graduate and used to caddy for Matt. "I've learned to play to my strengths and not listen to other people. I figure I can dissect my game the best, and that's taking one hole at a time and hitting the best shots.''

Kuchar made five birdies Saturday, including a stretch on holes 6, 8, 10 and 12, and no bogeys. For the tournament, he has just two bogeys.

Piercy, who shot a second consecutive 6-under-par 66, missed a golden opportunity to take the lead by himself when he three-putted the par-5 18th hole for just a par. But he was more than satisfied with his standing, and feels that he has the game to win his first PGA tournament.

"I'm driving the ball awesome, right down the middle most of the time, and hitting a lot of greens (17) so that's a good combination,'' said Piercy, who earned his 2009 tour card by finishing ninth on last year's Nationwide Tour money list. "When you hit greens, you take bogeys out of play and that's key for me. If I could hit 17 greens again today, I like my chances.''

No rookie has won on tour this season. Yet, Piercy is confident he can break through.

"I feel like my game is good enough to do it,'' he said. "The key is I've put myself in a position to win, and that's all you can ask.''

Pampling was the hottest man on the course in the early going, making five birdies in his first eight holes. He cooled down with just two more birdies, but put himself into position to win his first tournament since the 2006 Bay Hill Classic.

Veteran Davis Love III, who tied for third here last year, moved into contention with a 6-under-par 66 and finished at 9-under-par.

Defending champion Dustin Johnson fired a 69 is in a group of five players at 8-under-par.

OCHOA SURGES AHEAD

Defending champion Lorena Ochoa shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the Navistar LPGA Classic in Prattville, Ala., leaving 14-year-old Alexis Thompson eight strokes behind.

Ochoa, second last week behind Sophie Gustafson in California, had a 16-under 200 total on The Senator course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex. She birdied six of her final 12 holes in the bogey-free round.

The top-ranked Mexican star is winless in her last 11 starts. She has two victories in 17 events this season after winning 21 times the previous three years.

Thompson, the Florida ninth-grader who was part of a five-way tie for the second-round lead, had a 74 to drop into a tie for 13th at 8 under.

Sandra Gal (66) was second at 13 under, and Janice Moodie (68) and Brittany Lang (68) were 12 under. Michelle Wie (72) matched Thompson at 8 under.

WATSON BUILDS LEAD

Tom Watson shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 on the one-year anniversary of his left hip surgery to take a four-stroke lead in the Senior Players Championship in Timonium, Md., the final Champions Tour's major of the year.

The 60-year-old Watson, trying to become the oldest senior major winner, had a 12-under 198 total on Baltimore Country Club/Five Farms' East Course. Loren Roberts (65), John Cook (65) and Mark Wiebe (66) were 8 under, and Jay Haas (67) was 8 under.

TOURNAMENT POSTPONED

Gale force wind forced the postponement of the third round of the Dunhill Links Championship without a shot being played.

With all three venues — the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns — deemed unplayable, the possibility of any action was abandoned before 10 a.m. The third round will be played on Sunday, with the final round set for Monday at the Old Course.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Michael Hoey and Scotland's Richie Ramsay were tied for the lead at 11 under.