AUGUSTA — It was a crowded leaderboard at the Masters on Saturday, and at one point Matt Kuchar was counted at the top.
The Georgia Tech alumnus was one of eight players who either led or shared the lead during third-round play. Kuchar enters Sunday’s final round in fifth place, at 5 under par, four strokes behind leader Peter Hanson, after a round of 70.
“I do my best to avoid [the leaderboard],” said Kuchar, who got as low as 6 under. “There are so many names on the leaderboard I didn’t take the time to look up and see where I stood.
“I heard some roars, but I had no idea where they were coming from.”
He stood in very good position before backing up with three-putt bogeys on Nos. 13 and 16. That and the birdie-fest put on by Hanson (9 under) and Phil Mickelson (8 under) to separate themselves from the pack. However, Kuchar made a 12-foot par-saving putt on No. 17 and a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 18 to leave the course feeling better heading into Sunday.
“I would certainly rather be much more under par than I am right now, but I feel like I’ve got a chance,” Kuchar said.
A birdie from the bunker at No. 4 started the charge up the leaderboard after he began the day 3 under with opening rounds of 71 and 70. He also birdied Nos. 7 and 9.
He heard roars from the crowd then — and they were all for him.
“It’s a special feeling when they cheer for you,” he said. “It’s fun to be a part of when they go your way.”
Kuchar lost momentum by playing the back-nine par-5s in 1 over. He layed up on Nos. 13 and 15 and played wedges into both holes. However, he three-putted the 13th when his approach stopped near the top of a mound and rolled away from the hole. His approach on No. 15 rolled off the back of the green, and Kuchar got up-and-down to save par.
“I thought I played them smart,” Kuchar said. “... To be 1 over on those two holes you feel like you are losing strokes but I felt like hit for the most part all good shots.”
Kuchar said he has enjoyed his week at Augusta National, surrounded by a large contingent of family that includes his wife and children, parents, grandparents, his sister and her children and his in-laws. It evokes memories of 1998 when he played the Masters as an amateur and finished tied for 21st, his best finish in five previous events.
You can also count Kuchar among those in search for his first major. His best finish was a tied for sixth at the 2010 U.S. Open. He also finished tied for 10th at the PGA Championship that year.
Kuchar will tee off at 2:20 p.m. Sunday, with Hunter Mahan, in the third to the last pairing of the day.
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