Golf: Kuchar surges while Tiger comes apart

Golf • Woods posts his highest ever nine-hole total, shooting a 44 in first half of third round.

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Dublin, Ohio • Matt Kuchar thrived in tough conditions that sent Tiger Woods to the worst nine holes of his PGA Tour career Saturday.

Kuchar survived a nasty combination of swirling wind and fast greens at Muirfield Village for a 2-under 70, giving him a two-shot lead over Kevin Chappell and Kyle Stanley going into the final round.

Woods rallied on the front nine to salvage a 79, matching his second-worst score on the PGA Tour. Going for his sixth win at the Memorial and his fourth victory in his last five tournaments, Woods had two double bogeys and a triple bogey on the back nine for a 44, breaking by one shot his highest nine-hole total as a pro.

Kuchar was at 8-under 208, among 10 players separated by only four shots.

"I think most of us would tend to be surprised any time Tiger shoots a number like that, but a lot more understandable in these conditions," Kuchar said. "If you're not on good form, these conditions are really going to beat you up."

Chappell shot 68, and Stanley had a 73.

Bill Haas, the 36-hole leader, ran off three straight bogeys late in his round for a 76, and he wasn't all that upset about it. Haas was still only three shots back.

LPGA

Shanshan Feng shot a marvelous 4-under 67 before the wind picked up and grabbed a three-shot lead after two rounds of the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Galloway Township, N.J.

Feng, who last year became the first Chinese player to win an LPGA Tour title and a major event in capturing the LPGA Championship, matched the best score of the day. Using a new set of clubs, she had a 6-under 136 total on the wind-whipped Bay Course at the Stockton Hotel and Golf Club.

First-round co-leader Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Haeji Kang of South Korea shared second at 3 under. Jutanugarn had a 73, and Kang shot 69.

Defending champion and second-ranked Stacy Lewis shot a 9-over 80, matching her worst round since the third round of U.S. Women's Open last year. She fell from third to a tie for 50th.

Michelle Wie, looking for her first LPGA win in the United States, had a 73 to dropped to 1 under. She was tied for sixth with Karrie Webb, Hee Young Park and Karine Icher and first-round co-leader Amanda Blumenherst.

Champions Tour

Duffy Waldorf shot a 5-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Champions Tour's Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, Iowa.

Waldorf had an 8-under 136 total. Bart Bryant and St. George's Jay Don Blake were tied for second. Bryant had a 64, and Blake shot a 66. Russ Cochran was 6 under after a 67.

The 50-year-old Waldorf is winless in 12 career starts on the 50-and-over tour after winning four times on the PGA Tour. He took advantage of calm conditions at the Wakonda Club to post a bogey-free round after opening with a 69 for a share of the first-round lead. —

Leaderboard

Memorial

Matt Kuchar -8

Kevin Chappell -6

Kyle Stanley -6

Also

Mike Weir +6

Rory McIlroy +6

Tiger Woods +8