Ben Kohles fired a 9-under-63 on Saturday and holds a two-shot lead after three rounds of the Puerto Rico Open at Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
Kohles had nine birdies during a bogey-free round and sits at 18-under 198 through 54 holes at Grand Reserve Golf Club.
Jimmy Stanger, who shot 67, is part of a three-way tie for second at 16 under. Brice Garnett (68) and Germany’s Matti Schmid (68) are also part of the tie.
Kohles birdied five of his final seven holes to finish his round in style.
He entered the event with a string of four straight poor performances. He missed the cut in three of them and withdrew after one round of last month’s Mexico Open at Vidanta.
“It’s funny, yeah, the last four events haven’t been great,” the 34-year-old Kohles said. “But like we always say, I felt like I’ve been close, I don’t feel like I’ve been playing that bad. Like I said, I think I just needed something to kind of click.
“Actually, yesterday’s round (66) was just a really big confidence booster. When you’re on a ride like that, you’re wondering when you’re going to make another cut, stupid stuff like that that you shouldn’t be worried about. Yeah, I just really tried to stay in the present, play my game.”
Stanger had six birdies and one bogey on Saturday and he was pretty excited about the thought of playing a round with Kohles on Sunday.
That’s because both players played college golf at Virginia.
“To play with Ben Kohles, play in the final group at a PGA Tour event with a good friend who also is a fellow UVA guy would be awesome,” the 28-year-old Stanger said. “I think it shows the talent that’s coming out of that school.”
Garnett had four birdies in a non-bogey round, while Schmid carded six birdies and two bogeys.
“On this golf course, like once you turn to like 5, 6, then you play like eight, nine holes straight into the wind, or crosswind from the right,” Schmid said. “That stretch is difficult and I thought I handled it quite well.”
Second-round leader Joe Highsmith is tied for fifth with Erik Barnes (69), three shots off the lead. Highsmith had three birdies and two bogeys for a 71 after opening the tournament with consecutive 65s.
Hayden Springer (69) is four shots back in seventh and defending champion Nico Echavarria of Colombia is five shots off the pace. His 68 leaves him with a 203 total.
–Field Level Media