Rahm closes with birdie to build two-shot lead in Mexico Open

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Jon Rahm birdied the last two par 5s and got some help from a couple of poor chips by Cameron Champ to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Mexico Open.

Rahm, whose last victory was the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines last summer, pumped his fist Saturday when he holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th for a 3-under 68.

He liked how he played tee-to-green. Rahm said he hopes he can see a few more putts drop.

“That one on 18 was the first one outside 10 feet I saw roll in,” Rahm said. “If I can just keep that going and make putts like I did the first two days, I think tomorrow I’ll give myself a really good chance.”

An hour or so before that key birdie on the 18th, Rahm was two shots behind and trying to keep up with Champ, one of the game's longest hitters whose penetrating ball flight has been ideal for breezy conditions at Vidanta Vallarta,

Champ went over the back of the green on the 15th and stubbed a chip that didn't reach the green, leading to bogey. He went just over the back on the next hole, and this time clipped it too hard and watched it roll some 10 feet by the hole, leading to another bogey.

From just right of the 18th in two, Champ's chip came up some 15 feet short and he had to settle for par and a 67.

Kurt Kitayama was tied with Champ after a 66 that also featured some late struggles. He was tied for the lead when he blocked his tee shot on the par-3 17th so far to the right that it ran across a cart path onto a dirt lie under the trees. He did well to make bogey.

Then, the former UNLV player with two European tour wins had 109 yards to the par-5 18th and came up 25 feet short, having to settle for a par.

Rahm was at 13-under 200, two clear of Champ and Kitayama.