DUBLIN, Ohio — On a day when the winds were a constant 15 miles per hour and gusted to 30, only six players managed to shoot rounds in the 60s in yesterday’s third round of the Memorial at Muirfield Village.
Matt Kuchar was not only of those six, but he takes a two-shot lead into today’s final round at 8-under par, because he has been the steadiest player in the field through three rounds (68-70-70).
Kuchar leads Kevin Chappell and Kyle Stanley by two shots, and Justin Rose, Matt Jones and 36-hole leader Bill Haas by three shots. Masters champion Adam Scott, J.J. Henry, Charl Schwartzel and Scott Piercy are all four shots back at 4-under.
“It was a bit of a survival,’’ Kuchar said. “My round of 2-”‘under I felt was a good, solid, steady round of golf. I drove it well. I feel like I’m hitting it solid. I feel really confident.’’
Kuchar said he was shocked to see Tiger Woods tumble down the leaderboard with a 79 yesterday.
“I did not know about Tiger’s struggles until I got in here,” he said. “But it’s understandable in these conditions. If you’re not on good form, these conditions are really going to beat you up.
“I think most of us would tend of be surprised anytime Tiger shoots a number like that, but it’s a lot more understandable in these conditions. Fortunately, I feel like I’ve been in pretty good control of what I’ve been doing and able to survive.’’
Kuchar is coming off his sixth career runner-up finish at last week’s Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. He has 35 top-10 finishes since 2010, leading the PGA Tour in that category since then.
In seven previous starts at the Memorial, Kuchar has four top-10 finishes, each coming in the last four years. Kuchar is seeking his fifth career PGA Tour win and second this season.
Kuchar has held at least a share of the 54-hole lead twice, most recently at last week’s event at Colonial, where he finished second. He won the 2009 Turning Stone Championship after holding a share of the 54-hole lead.
Because of a bad weather forecast in the afternoon, today’s final round will be played in threesomes off tee Nos. 1 and 10, between 10:40 a.m. and 12:40 p.m.