Vegas birdied No. 18 Saturday to take a one-shot lead over Kuchar at TPC Twin Cities heading into Sunday's final round
By Patrick McDonald
• 1 min read
A topsy-turvy Moving Day at TPC Twin Cities that featured as many as seven players tied for the lead at one point ultimately saw Jhonattan Vegas come away as the top man. Surging to the top of the 3M Open leaderboard with a bogey-free 8-under 63, Vegas heads into Sunday's deciding round at 16 under and one clear of Matt Kuchar as the PGA Tour regular season quickly nears.
With only five rounds left before the postseason, Vegas has found his footing at the precise right time. Coming into the week riding a streak of top-20 finishes, he aims for more in the Twin Cities as a win would catapult him inside the top 70 who ultimately qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Finding a cooperative putter on Saturday, Vegas will need more of the same on Sunday if he is to enter the winner's circle. It won't come easy as blustery conditions, an ever-dangerous TPC Twin Cities and a crowded leaderboard will all have something to say. Vegas seeks his first win since 2017 while Kuchar hopes to raise a PGA Tour trophy for the first time since 2019.
Just behind the two veterans are a number of players looking for their maiden PGA Tour titles with McNealy, Patrick Fishburn and Matt NeSmith all still in with a chance. While winning has been sparse from the top names on the leaderboard, the same cannot be said for the young studs behind them.
Sahith Theegala continues to exact his revenge against TPC Twin Cities and carded another round in the 60s on Saturday to reach 12 under. Coming into the week having failed to cash a paycheck in Minnesota, Theegala could stumble into a winner's share should his good play persist. Meanwhile Cam Davis looks for his second victory in his last three tournaments from one further back and will need a round to remember to become the latest multiple-time winner on the PGA Tour this season.
The leader
1. Jhonattan Vegas (-16)
It was a ball-striking clinic from Vegas on Saturday. Tying the low round of the tournament, the big-hitting right hander missed just one fairway and three greens en route to his 63. Of his eight birdies, just one came from outside 10 feet with that coming in the form of a 12-foot conversion on No. 11. It is that club in particular to watch out for Sunday as it has posed a problem for Vegas this season. However, if he hits it like he did Saturday, he may all but eliminate that doubt on the greens.
Other contenders
2. Matt Kuchar (-15)
3. Maverick McNealy (-14)
T4. Sahith Theegala, Patrick Fishburn (-12)
T6. Cam Davis, Adam Svensson, Matt NeSmith (-11)
T9. Matt Wallace, J.J. Spaun, Taylor Pendrith (-10)
Davis aims to become just the fifth multiple-time winner this season and join Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Robert MacIntyre in doing so. After going through the first six months of the season without a single top 10, he has a real chance for his second victory in his last three starts. Another stroll into the winner's circle would all but secure his place on the International Presidents Cup team and in the field at the Tour Championship.
"I've got my game in a place that feels pretty comfortable, I've got my head in a place that feels good right now," Davis said. "Yeah, I just feel like I'm in a position right now where everything's going well, it's just a matter of continuing to do the things I'm doing. Yeah, I feel good about tomorrow. If it's windy again, awesome, I love the wind. It will be a lot of fun. It's enjoyable being back in this position where I do have a shot at it. Yeah, I'm going to make the most of tomorrow regardless of how it ends up."
Kuchar's closing
After a double bogey on his fourth hole, Kuchar played his final 14 holes in 9 under. It included a flurry of par breakers towards the end of his round as birdies on Nos. 15 and 17 were just the appetizer for his closing eagle from off the green on the par-5 18th. It represented just the second eagle on No. 18 all day and gives him a great opportunity to claim his 10th PGA Tour title tomorrow.
2024 3M Open updated odds and picks
- Jhonattan Vegas: 8/5
- Matt Kuchar: 3-1
- Maverick McNealy: 4-1
- Sahith Theegala: 10-1
- Patrick Fishburn: 20-1
- Cam Davis: 25-1
- Adam Svensson: 35-1
The rounds from Vegas and Kuchar will make it difficult for an outsider to sneak up and grab this thing, but not impossible. Theegala hasn't done anything spectacular through three rounds and finds himself only four adrift. With so much variance from shot to shot, Theegala at 10-1 seems like a sound option knowing how high his ceiling is.
Rick Gehman and Mark Immelman recap Round 3 of the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities. Follow & listen to The First Cut onApple PodcastsandSpotify.
