Potgieter hangs on to 1-shot lead in Mexico Open

GOLF ROUNDUP

Aldrich Potgieter, of South Africa, reacts to missing a putt on the 11th hole during the third round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Saturday. PHOTOS BY FERNANDO LLANO — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Brian Campbell, of the United States, studies his putt on the green of the 13th hole during the third round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Saturday.

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VALLARTA, Mexico >> Aldrich Potgieter had the lead going into the final round of the Mexico Open, minus the cushion he enjoyed after a sloppy finish Saturday that made him settle for a 4-under 67 and a one-shot advantage over Brian Campbell at Vidanta Vallarta.

Potgieter, the 20-year-old power player from South Africa, started with a four-shot lead and held off one challenge early from Stephan Jaeger, who closed within one shot after six holes.

The next challenge came from Campbell, who at times was 50 yards shorter off the tee than Potgieter but made up for it with his putter, including a 60-foot birdie on the par-3 ninth.

Potgieter was leading by three shots with two holes left in the third round when he badly missed his tee shot to the right on the par-3 17th, the ball settling in some bushes. He managed to punch that out into the grass, then hit a beautiful pitch to save bogey.

On the par-5 18th, Potgieter came up well short with a 7-iron for his second shot after another big drive. From a waste area, he went just over the back of the green, chipped to a front pin and had to make a 5-footer for par.

Campbell finished with a birdie for a 64 to get within one shot as both go for their first PGA Tour title and a trip to the Masters.

Jaeger went from within one shot to falling five shots behind, only to rally with a pair of birdies on the par 5s for a 66 to finish three behind.

Potgieter was at 20-under 193.

He would love nothing more than a return to Augusta National, where he played in 2023 as the British Amateur champion. Potgieter earned his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour, which featured one win early and a 59 in Colombia.

That firepower — particularly is length — is what has kept him in front at Vidanta Vallarta, a course with five par 5s and plenty of room off the tee. He has led the field in driving distance all three days, checking in 329.4 yards for his average Saturday.

He played in the last group with Campbell and Jaeger — the same trio for the final round — and Campbell wasn’t the least bit bothered by the difference in length. He plotted his way to a bogey-free round that gives him a shot at his first PGA Tour win.

Jaeger, who held off Scottie Scheffler to win the Houston Open last year, drove into the water on the reachable par-4 seventh hole after getting within one shot of Potgieter. He made bogey, a two-shot swing when the South African made birdie, and Jaeger did well to finish within three shots at the end of the round.

Alex Smalley had a 64 and was five shots behind, with Aaron Rai (68) and Ben Griffin (67) another shot back.

Justin Hastings of the Cayman Islands, the San Diego State senior who won the Latin American Amateur last month to earn a trip to the Masters, had a 65 and was tied for ninth with Patrick Rodgers and Nicolai Hojgaard, who twice chipped in for eagle on the back nine.

“Now that I made the cut, which I think was a big goal this week, it took a lot of stress off and I felt like I played a lot more free today,” Hastings said. “Yeah, I think it showed on the scorecard. It was a lot less stressful.”

The stakes Sunday are more than just a trip to the Masters. The winner will gets in The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, along with five of the remaining $20 million signature events. Jaeger is already in from his top-50 finish in the FedEx Cup last year.

Yin moves into third-round lead at LPGA Thailand tournament

Angel Yin birdied three of her final four holes on the front nine to help set up an 8-under 64 on Saturday to take a five-stroke lead into the final round of the LPGA Thailand tournament.

The American had a three-round total of 21-under 195 at Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course.

Sponsor invite Akie Iwai of Japan, who led after the first two rounds, shot 71 and dropped into second place. She stumbled with her first bogey of the tournament on the ninth hole.

The event is the first stop of the LPGA’s so-called Asian swing before the tour moves to Singapore and China over the next two weeks.

The 26-year-old Yin’s best finish in four previous appearances at LPGA Thailand was a share of third place in 2021.

“Off the tee, I wasn’t hitting it as well as the last two days, but I got away with some good lies and managed to capitalize on my opportunities,” said Yin, ranked No. 17.

The California native is chasing her second LPGA title after winning the Buick LPGA Shanghai in 2023. She is a two-time major runner-up — at the 2023 Chevron Championship and the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open.

Local stars Moriya Jutanugarn and Jeeno Thitikul each posted a 69 to sit at 201, a stroke behind Iwai. Both are looking to improve their best home-soil results — Jutanugarn finished tied for second in 2018, while Thitikul was the lone runner-up in 2021.