BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Jhonattan Vegas birdied six of the final eight holes for an 8-under 63 and a one-stroke lead over Matt Kuchar on Saturday in the 3M Open.
Vegas had a 16-under 197 total at the TPC Twin Cities. The 39-year-old Venezuelan has three PGA Tour victories, the last a successful title defense in the 2017 Canadian Open.
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Sahith Theegala watches his tee shot on the second green during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Maverick McNealy hits on the fairway on the first hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Matt NeSmith hits out of a fairway bunker on the second hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Jhonattan Vegas reacts after missing a putt on the first green during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Patrick Fishburn watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Maverick McNealy watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Matt Kuchar reacts after making his putt on the first green during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Jhonattan Vegas watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
The 46-year-old Kuchar also shot 63, chipping in for eagle from 30 yards on the par-5 18th. He won the last of his nine PGA Tour titles at the 2019 Sony Open.
Maverick McNealy, with another 63, was two strokes behind. Patrick Fishburn, with yet another 63, was four back at 12 under with Sahith Theegala (66).
Four shots back to start the day, Vegas birdied Nos. 5 and 6 and added three more two-birdie bursts on the back nine — on Nos. 11-12, 14-15 and 17-18. He made a 5-footer on the par-3 17th and tapped in on 18.
Kuchar missed the cuts in nine of his first 11 events this year and 11 of 18 overall, with his best finish a tie for 17th at the Charles Schwab Challenge two months ago.
On Saturday, he three-putted for double bogey on the par-3 fourth, then birdied the next four holes. He tapped in for birdie on the 167-yard 17th after a near ace.
Cam Davis (65), Adam Svensson (66) and Matt NeSmith (70) were five shots back at 11 under.
Second-round leader Taylor Pendrith had a double bogey and four bogeys in a 73 that left him six shots back.
Sahith Theegala watches his tee shot on the second green during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Maverick McNealy hits on the fairway on the first hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Matt NeSmith hits out of a fairway bunker on the second hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Jhonattan Vegas reacts after missing a putt on the first green during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Patrick Fishburn watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Maverick McNealy watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Matt Kuchar reacts after making his putt on the first green during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Jhonattan Vegas watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
COVENTRY, Vt. (AP) — A U.S. Border Patrol agent was killed Monday in northern Vermont south of the Canadian border, authorities said.
The Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that the agent was killed in the line of duty, although it did not provide details.
Vermont State Police said the shooting happened Monday afternoon on Interstate 91 in Coventry, about 20 miles (32 km) from the Canadian border. State police officers were assisting federal authorities including the FBI and Homeland Security.
A portion of the highway was closed in both directions for about two hours afterward. The northbound lane reopened just after 5 p.m.
Coventry is close to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Newport Station, part of the Swanton Sector, which encompasses Vermont and parts of New York and New Hampshire. The area includes 295 miles (475 kilometers) of international boundary with Canada.
HOLD This image taken from video provided by WCAX shows police cars closing off a road after a shooting involving a U.S. Border Patrol agent on Interstate 91 near Coventry, Vt., Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (WCAX via AP)
Cars are backed up at the US-Canada border in Stanstead, Quebec, after a shooting involving a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Coventry, Vt., Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Chloe Jones)
Cars are backed up at the US-Canada border in Stanstead, Quebec, after a shooting involving a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Coventry, Vt., Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Chloe Jones)