Tony Finau had a terrific stretch at the Mexico Open on Saturday, posting five birdies over his last seven holes for a 6-under 65 that gave him a two-shot lead over Masters champion Jon Rahm and 21-year-old Akshay Bhatia.

Rahm, the defending champion, matched his lowest round on the PGA Tour with a 61. He started the third round six shots behind and at one point took a one-shot lead until Finau rallied at the end.

Bhatia also finished with a flourish, hitting his second shot to 8 feet on the par-5 18th hole at Vallarta Vidanta for an eagle and a 63.

Rahm had enough mistakes over the previous two rounds to put himself in a hole. Saturday was not one of those days. He missed only one green and four of his 10 birdies were putts from about 25 feet or longer.

Finau was at 19-under 194 as he goes for his second victory this season, and his fourth PGA Tour title in the last nine months.

Right as Rahm was making a charge on the back with three straight birdies, Finau answered with a tough pitch from short of the par-5 12th hole for birdie. After a tee shot went long on the par-3 13th, he hit a lofted pitch that rolled in for birdie, and then followed that with a bold 3-iron that he started toward the water and drew it back to about 12 feet on the par-5 14th for a two-putt birdie.

His only blemish was a three-putt from the fringe on the par-3 17th, but he answered with a final birdie to take a two-shot shot cushion into the final round.

Finau didn’t see a leaderboard until early on the back nine. That was his first indication that Rahm was making a big charge.

Finau was a runner-up to Rahm last year in the Mexico Open.

Brandon Wu (67) was three shots behind. No one else was within five shots of Finau.

Knight on top at LA Championship

Cheyenne Knight shot a bogey-free 4-under 67 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead through three rounds of the LA Championship at Wilshire Country Club.

Knight was at 9-under 204 through 54 holes, and her best round of the week had special significance.

Knight made a 20-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 13th hole and birdied the par-4 17th to shoot 3-under 33 on the back nine. Her late brother, Brandon, who died in a car crash when Knight was 12, wore No. 33 while playing high school football in Texas.

Knight teared up when an LPGA official mentioned her back-nine score.

“It’s always special,” Knight said. “I have someone up there watching over me. He’s always with me.”

Hae Ran Ryu also shot 67 and was two shots back alongside Hannah Green, who shot 69. Knight and Green are the only players to have three rounds in the 60s at Wilshire.

Garcia, Gooch share lead at LIV Singapore

Sergio Garcia recalled one of his happy times at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore to shoot a 7-under 64 and to move into a share of the second-round lead with Talor Gooch at the LIV Singapore tournament.

Garcia and Gooch, who birdied his last two holes for a 65, had 36-hole totals of 13-under 129.

Gooch won last week’s LIV tournament.