INZAI CITY, Japan – Nico Echavarria shot a 5-under 65 on Saturday and finished with a tap-in eagle on the 18th for a two-shot lead over Justin Thomas after the third round of the Zozo Championship.
Echavarria is aiming for his second victory on the PGA Tour, following his win last year in Puerto Rico. Thomas has won 15 times on the PGA Tour but has not won in 2 1/2 years since winning the 2022 PGA Championship.
Max Greyserman, looking for his first PGA Tour victory, shot a 64 and is three back. Three others are six behind and still in the mix: Kevin Yu (66), Rickie Fowler (67) and Nate Lashley (63).
“I mean, that’s how you want to end a round,” said Echavarria, who hit a 5-wood to 21 feet for the tap on the 550-yard hole. “I had a good tee shot, hit a really good second shot and finished with an eagle. Of course I prefer that to a birdie.”
The 30-year-old Echavarria, a Colombian who played at the University of Arkansas, saved par on the 12th with a difficult downhill chip from a big rough on his third shot, then dropped a clutch putt.
It might have saved his round.
“I started to get shaky on the back nine with a bogey on 9 and an incredible save on 12,” he said. “But we finished the round as best as we could.”
Echavarria is 17-under 193 at the par-70 Narashino Country Club, about 50 miles outside central Tokyo.
Thomas won his first major in 2017 – again the PGA Championship – and rose to No. 1 in the world golf rankings in 2018. Now he’s trying to recapture that feeling.
“It’s obviously difficult,” he said. “It’s hard to win at any stage, no matter who you are.”
He said the early success may have made it seem easier than it is.
“For yourself and everyone else,” he added.
“After all, it’s been a while, but I’ve still won quite a few golf tournaments. I know how to win. It’s just a matter of executing and doing it, and that’s really the biggest difference. There’s a reason there’s only once a week.”
Fowler, who finished second two years ago and has connections to Japan, suggested he was close to a point.
“There have been a lot of good signs, but the last few events I just haven’t put it all together,” he said. “So I’m looking forward to getting out there and hopefully we can get off to a good start.”
The pre-tournament favorites are well out of contention.
Defending champion Collin Morikawa shot 70 shots and was 13 shots behind, as was Xander Schauffele after a 68.
Japanese favorite Hideki Matsuyama shot 66 shots – his best round of the tournament – but is 15 shots behind the lead.
