There was a time when Matt Kuchar’s remarkable consistency was curiously held against him, when the perception in some quarters was that he “backdoor-ed” his way to a lot of top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour.
“Kuchar-ing” — as some called it — was defined as a propensity to start slowly at a tortoise-like trot but pick up speed in the later stages of tournaments. Playing well enough to cash a bushel of top-10 paychecks while not really managing to be in the thick of the scrap for the titles.
That interpretation has fallen victim to a hail of birdies lately as Kuchar has boldly charged through the tournament front door, taking a lead into the final day of two of his past three tournaments.
Two months after winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico, Kuchar enjoys a two-stroke lead over Andrew Putnam and a four-stroke edge over Keith Mitchell and Chez Reavie entering today’s final round of the Sony Open in Hawaii.
The 40-year-old, who was in third place after the first round and atop the leaderboard after 36 holes, has gotten there with his career-best 54-hole total of an 18-under-par 192, virtually assuring the 100th top-10 finish of his PGA career as he pursues what would be a ninth PGA victory today.
Amid a chorus of “”Kooch!…Kooch!…Kooch!” he concluded a bogey-free round of 66 Saturday, overtaking Putnam on the eighth hole after a see-sawing of the lead between them.
“I feel like I’ve got to get out there and make some birdies, if it is not too windy,” Putnam said.
They go out with Mitchell in the 12:20 p.m. final group today at Waialae Country Club.
Kuchar’s accumulation of 99 top-10 finishes in 429 career PGA Tour starts is a noteworthy and laudable feat, however it was secured. The paychecks are all cashable. It is a deed that speaks to enduring consistency that is to be prized.
Kuchar, as he does with most things, smiles through talk of a “backdoor” perception that has followed him, off and on for several years, giving it a trademark “aw-shucks” shrug.
“I take pride in not missing many cuts,” he said. “I still hope to be that consistent player, to being in contention and finishing strong.”
Kuchar said, “I look back thinking I’d like to have more wins to my name, of course. But I’m awfully proud of the wins that I have. If I look at my resume, I’m proud of it. I’ve always wanted to be a guy who had a lot of chances (to win). I didn’t want to be the player who played good just three times a year and packed up his bags early too often.”
His performance at Waialae, where he has five top-10 finishes — and no worse than 13th in his past five starts — and has earned nearly $1.1 million in the process to date while averaging a 67, is a reflection of that.
Coming out of the November victory in Mexico and heading to Hawaii, Kuchar had christened it as the “hola-to-aloha” leg of his season.
“It would be amazing for me (to win on both),” Kuchar said. “I mean, it would be two out of three PGA Tour starts for me…To do it twice in a year, two out of three tournaments, would be amazing, trust me. Find the winner’s circle once and it is a real thrill.”
Doing it coming from ahead would, no doubt, make it all the sweeter.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
