Kuchar excited for another shot at Memorial title

DUBLIN, Ohio – Matt Kuchar is in position to secure his second Memorial Tournament title.

The 2013 champion at Muirfield Village vaulted himself into solo second Saturday with 5-under-par 67 that has him three off the lead and playing in the final pairing with leader Daniel Summerhays on Sunday.

“I’m excited to have another chance here,” Kuchar said. “It looked like after 36 holes that none of us were going to have a chance at it, and [I’m] shocked that Jason [Dufner] gave us a chance.”

Kuchar started the final round nine shots off the lead but now finds himself 10 under par and one ahead of Dufner heading into the final round.

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The seven-time PGA Tour champion and Olympic bronze medal winner birdied Nos. 8 and 9 to turn in 2-under 34 and added three more birdies 13, 14 and 15. He made up for his only bogey of the day at the 16th with a birdie at 17.

Kuchar has finished in the top-5 four times in 11 starts at the Memorial, including a runner-up finish to Steve Sticker in 2011.

A combined 87 under since 2007, he is an outrageous 54 shots better to par than any other player over that span.

Kuchar’s last PGA Tour victory came at the 2014 RBC Heritage, when he holed out from the front bunker on the 18th hole at Harbour Town to don the plaid jacket.

“Sundays when you have a chance to win a golf tournament are very exciting,” he said. “Any time you have a chance on the PGA Tour it’s a thrill.

“Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament, it’s certainly a special place. I think anybody within four or five or six shots of the lead is going to be awfully excited going into tomorrow.”