NAPLES, Fla. – Matt Kuchar and Harris English took a four-stroke lead Saturday in the Franklin Templeton Shootout, playing the back nine in 9-under 27 in the better-ball round for a 12-under 60.
Kuchar and English were 20 under the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort’s Tiburon course. They opened with a 64 on Friday in modified alternate-shot play. The team event ends Sunday with a scramble.
Retief Goosen and Fredrik Jacobson were second after a 61.
The teams of Ian Poulter-Lee Westwood and Charles Howell III-Justin Leonard were tied for third at 13 under. Poulter and Westwood shot 61, and Howell and Leonard had a 67.
Kuchar and English had nine birdies and an eagle on Nos. 8-17.
''It’s pretty cool,’' English said. ''You just kind of get on a hot streak and you don’t really think about anything other than making birdies.
They had a chance for a 59, but Kuchar’s 14-foot putt on 18 missed to the left.
Goosen and Jacobson had five straight birdies on Nos. 3-7 and row in a row on Nos. 14-17.
''Overall, not too bad, but yeah, four shots behind tomorrow, we need something really low,’' Goosen said.