UCLA pair Knapp and Tavatanakit widen lead to 2 shots in Grant Thornton Invitational

NAPLES, Fla. — Patty Tavatanakit delivered the birdie putts and Jake Knapp kept their UCLA team in front with one big par save after another, leading them to a 6-under 66 in the more difficult foursomes Saturday and a two-shot lead in the Grant Thornton Invitational.

Tavatanakit holed a pair of 12-footers late on the front nine at Tiburon Golf Club. When their games got off track, Knapp made a series of testy par putts that kept the momentum going.

They were at 20-under 124, two shots ahead of Tom Kim and Jeeno Thitikul in the unofficial event that pairs players from the PGA Tour and LPGA. Thitikul won the CME Group Tour Championship and its $4 million prize last month, and she holed a tough bunker shot on the par-3 16th to keep them close. They had a 64.

Akshay Bhatia and Jennifer Kupcho (68) were three shots behind.

Knapp and Tavatanakit both went to the UCLA, though he was a few years ahead of the Thai.

“It was a grind,” said Tavatanakit, who won an LPGA major as a rookie at the ANA Inspiration. “We're two good grinders. It's fun to be able to do it, being out of position and saving par and converting birdies when we had to.”

Tavatanakit had two big moments late in the day of occasional rain. She holed an 18-foot birdie putt on No. 16 to break a tie with the “Tom & Jerry” team — Thitikul is going by “Jerry” this week as a tribute to the popular cartoon.

On the par-5 17th, Knapp missed well to the right with a 6-iron. With a small chunk of mud on the golf ball, Tavatanakit hit a marvelous pitch over the edge of a bunker and downhill toward the cup, running it some 4 feet by to set up birdie.

The final round Sunday will be modified fourball — both players hit tee shots, and then they play the other golf ball through the completion of the hole.

Defending champions Lydia Ko and Jason Day had a 67 and were within five shots.