DUBLIN, Ohio — Matt Kuchar fired a two-under par 70 to seize a two-stroke lead over fellow Americans Kevin Chappell and Kyle Stanley after Saturday's third round of the $6.2 million US PGA Memorial tournament. In a round where world No. 1 Tiger Woods struggled to a 79 to stand 16 strokes off the pace and second-ranked Rory McIlroy settled for a 75 and stood 14 strokes back, Kuchar offset back-nine stumbles with long birdie putts. Kuchar birdied the par-3 fourth and par-5 seventh but closed the front nine with a bogey. He responded with a 19-foot birdie putt at the par-4 10th, then sandwiched two birdies between bogeys at the par-3 12th and par-5 15th. Kuchar dropped an 11-foot birdie at the par-4 13th and followed by sinking a 17-foot birdie putt at the par-4 14th at the Muirfield Village layout where 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus is the tournament host. After 54 holes, Kuchar was on eight-under 208 with Stanley and Chappell both on 210. Stanley stumbled to a 73 Saturday while Chappell fired a 68. “I played some steady golf. I got the wind figured out as best as possible and I'm driving it well,” Kuchar said. “You can play some moderately aggressive golf out there.” Woods began on the back nine and had a horror-show start with double bogeys at the 12th and 15th holes, a triple bogey at 18 plus a bogey at the 17th. After birdies at the first and second and another at the fifth, he closed with bogeys at the sixth and ninth. The 44 Woods posted on his opening nine was the highest nine-hole score of his PGA Tour career by a stroke, while his 79 matched the second-highest score of his pro career. England's Justin Rose, Australian Mike Jones and Bill Haas, the American who led after the second round but sputtered to a 76 in the third, shared fourth on 211. Reigning Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia, past Masters winner Charl Schwartzel and Americans Scott Piercy and J.J. Henry shared seventh on 212 with another past Masters champion, Bubba Watson, among a trio on 213. Chappell birdied three holes in a row starting at the par-5 fifth and answered his lone bogey at the par-5 11th with birdies at 13 and 15. Stanley had five bogeys, two on par-3 holes, but took advantage of the par-5 holes with birdies at the fifth and 15th and an eagle at the 11th after putting his second shot only two feet from the cup. Ilonen wins Nordea Masters In Stockholm, Mikko Ilonen won the Nordea Masters by 3 shots to end a six-year trophy drought. The 33-year-old Finn shot a final round 69 on Sunday to win with an overall 21-under total in superb conditions on the Bro Hof Slott course. It is Ilonen's first European Tour victory since capturing the same event in 2007. Sweden's Jonas Blixt (68) was second on 18-under overall. Italy's Matteo Manassero (70), who led the first two rounds, faded over the weekend to eventually share fourth place on 16-under. — Agencies
