NAPLES, Fla. – Patty Tavatanakit birdied her heels and Jake Knapp kept their UCLA team in front with one big par after another to lead them to a 6-under 66 in the tough doubles Saturday and a two-shot lead on Saturday. Grant Thornton Invitational.
Tavatanakit made a par 12-footer late on the front nine at Tiburon Golf Club. As their games went off the rails, Knapp performed a series of par putt tests that kept the momentum going.
In the unofficial event, which combines players from the PGA Tour and LPGA, they had a score of 20-under 124, two shots ahead of Tom Kim and Jeen Thitikul. Thitikul, who won the CME Group Tour Championship and $4 million prize money last month, played a hard bunker shot on the par-3 16th to keep them close. They were 64.
Akshay Bhatia and Jennifer Kupcho (68) were three shots behind.
Knapp and Tavatanakit both went to UCLA, though he was several years ahead of Thai.
“It was a blast,” said Tavatanakit, who won an LPGA major at the ANA Inspiration as a rookie. “We are two good grinders.” It’s fun to do that, to be out of position and save par and convert birdies when we had to.”
Tavatanakit had two big moments late on a day of intermittent rain. She birdied an 18-foot putt on the 16th to break a tie with the team of “Tom & Jerry” – Thitikul will introduce “Jerry” this week as a tribute to the popular fairy tale.
On the par-5 17th, Knapp missed well to the right with a 6-iron. With a small patch of mud on his golf ball, Tavatanakit hit an amazing pitch over the edge of the bunker and down the hill toward the cup, running it about 4 feet for birdie.
Sunday’s final round will be a fourball arrangement – both players hit the tee and then play the second golf ball through the completion of the hole.
Defending champions Lydia Ko and Jason Day had 67s and were within five shots.