HUMBLE, Texas — Sergio Garcia faltered as Matt Kuchar took command of the Houston Open with a four-stroke lead after the third round Saturday. Six-time PGA Tour winner Kuchar put on a long game clinic and despite a closing three-putt bogey finished with a four-under-par 68 at the Golf Club of Houston. The American started the day one shot behind Spaniard Garcia, who faded with a mediocre 73 to fall into a tie for second with American Cameron Tringale (69). Kuchar has a six-shot gap on fourth-placed Matt Jones of Australia as he seeks a confidence-boosting victory heading to the Masters next week. But he is mindful that he let one get away last week at the Texas Open, where he led halfway through the final round but could only tie for fourth. World No. 11 Kuchar did not sink a putt longer than 15 feet as he compiled six birdies and two bogeys. He saved par from six feet at the 17th hole, but missed from a similar distance at the last to at least give his rivals a glimmer of hope. Garcia, buoyed by a deft par-save after missing the green at the final hole, was encouraged that he at least remained within striking distance. “I hung on well without playing my best,” said Garcia. “Obviously I didn't play as well as yesterday (65), which is difficult to match, but I didn't feel I played that badly, other than a couple of bad shots. “Matt played really well under the conditions. It was still quite breezy and as firm as the greens were, it was difficult to hit it close.” Tringale has a holiday planned for next week, but will have to change his plans if he wins Sunday and earns a last-minute spot in the Masters. Due to bad weather forecast, officials moved up the final round tee times, with the leaders scheduled to start early. Wie and Thompson share lead At Rancho Mirage, US, Michelle Wie was in a strong position to win her first major after hitting a four-under-par 68 to share the lead with fellow American Lexi Thompson at the end of the third round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship Saturday. Back at the Mission Hills course where she almost won her maiden major eight long years ago, the former child prodigy throttled back her powerful swing and notched four birdies on her way to a 10-under 206 total. If Wie was occasionally a little timid with the putter, so too was teenager Thompson, who might have had the lead outright had she not three-putted the final hole for a 69. Wie and Thompson were two strokes ahead of British teenager Charley Hull and South Korean veteran Pak Se-ri, who shared third place on the leaderboard at the first major of the LPGA season. Hull vaulted into contention with a bogey-free 66, the best round of the day, while five-time major winner Pak stayed in the hunt despite three back-nine bogeys in her 71.— Reuters
