Lahiri Blazes Front Nine, but Slips to Still Stay in Top-10 in Mexico

Playa del Carmen (Mexico), Nov 11 (PTI) Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri slipped but stayed inside Top-10 at the end of the third round of the OHL Mayakoba Classic after 54 holes here on Sunday.

Lahiri, who was T-3 after the second round, shot two-under 69 to be T-8 at 13-under.

This was the third year in a row that Lahiri had shot his first three rounds in the 60s and his best here has been T-14 last year. The year before that he was T-28.

The way Lahiri began, it seemed he would tear into the opposition. With five birdies in first eight holes, he even tied for the lead with Matt Kuchar at one stage.

But on the back nine, a double bogey after taking a penalty on 14th and then another bogey on 16th pushed him down and he finished the day at two-under and 13-under for 54 holes.

"This course suits my eye and there are lot of birdies. After a superb start on front nine, it was disappointing to give away so much on the back nine," Lahiri said.

Kuchar, looking for his first win since 2014, continued his excellent form with a 65 in the third round after 64-64 on first two days. He moved to 20-under and a four-shot lead over Kim Whee (66). Whee was 16-under.

Kuchar's four-shot lead matches his largest 54-lead in his career. He also led by four at the Houston Open in 2014, when he wound up losing to Matt Jones in a playoff.

Richy Werenski (67) and Danny Lee (67) were both 15-under and Tied-third. They were followed by a group including PGA TOUR rookie of the year Aaron Wise (63) and Cameron Champ (69).

Champ, who played in the final group with Kuchar and Lee, already won this season at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Kuchar has been piling up birdies at El Camaleon Golf Club, and he began to pull away with four birdies on the front nine.

Just like Friday, however, one hole gave him stress. It was a tee shot on the 14th and Kuchar took a penalty from the hazard, and dropped in a good lie a few inches next to the cart path. He ended with a bogey.

Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk had a 66 and was at 13-under 200.

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