MELBOURNE, Australia – The World Cup of Golf is getting an early taste of Melbourne’s fickle weather.

Organizers of the 28-team event at Metropolitan Golf Club have moved up tee times by an hour for Thursday’s first round of the 72-hole stroke-play tournament that features fourballs (best ball) and foursomes (alternate shot) over two rounds each.

Heavy rain is in the forecast beginning in the early afternoon Thursday. Wednesday was mostly sunny after a big storm hit the course on Tuesday evening, bringing with it hail, high winds and plenty of rain.

The forecast is even worse for Friday, with cool temperatures and more rain.

Teams from Malaysia and Zimbabwe will tee off in the fourballs competition on Thursday at 7:20 a.m. with the top-ranked teams of Australia (Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith) and the United States (Matt Kuchar and Kyle Stanley) off last about three hours later.

Soren Kjeldsen and Thorbjorn Olesen, who won the title for Denmark by four strokes two years ago at nearby Kingston Heath, are back for another attempt to win on a sandbelt course in southeast Melbourne.

“Obviously we’ve picked up a few things two years ago, what worked and what didn’t work, mainly what worked,” Kjeldsen said Wednesday. “I think we’ve got a good idea what we need to do, but like Thorbjorn says, it’s going to be very difficult. I think there are a lot of strong teams this year as well.”

Stanley said he’s not too worried about the weather.

“It’s one of the best golf courses in the world so it’s a great venue for this week,” he said. “I know we’ve got a little weather coming in but I live in Seattle so that’s no big deal for me.”

Martin Kaymer, who will represent Germany with Maximilian Kieffer, was in the same frame of mind.

“The weather forecast is what it is and we all have an umbrella and rain gear so off we go,” Kaymer said.

The format will switch to foursomes on Friday and Sunday, with Saturday returning to fourballs.

The World Cup of Golf appears to have found a home in southeast Melbourne.

For the third consecutive time, one of golf’s biggest team events is being played at a famous sandbelt course in the southeastern Australian city. The 28-team tournament, based on the Official World Golf Ranking, begins Thursday at Metropolitan Golf Club, with Denmark returning as the defending champion from nearby Kingston Heath in 2016.

In 2013 at Royal Melbourne, the World Cup was primarily an individual event with a team component, with the individual section similar to what would be used at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Jason Day won the individual title at Royal Melbourne and combined with Adam Scott to win the team title for Australia.

At Kingston Heath two years ago, the format returned to its more traditional one of fourball (best ball) on the first and third days and foursomes (alternate shot) for the second and final rounds in the 72-hole stroke-play event. So, it’ll be fourball to open the tournament at Metropolitan.

“The sandbelt courses in Australia are (among) the best in the world and some of my favourite to play,” Tiger Woods says of the layouts which also include Huntingdale, Yarra Yarra and Victoria. “I have great memories playing there and I look forward to returning.”

That will be soon. Royal Melbourne will host its third Presidents Cup in 2019, when Woods will be captain of the U.S. team and Ernie Els in charge of the Internationals. Els is holding a news conference during the World Cup to announce some of his staff, while Woods is planning a December scouting mission at Royal Melbourne.

Soren Kjeldsen and Thorjorn Olesen, who won the title for Denmark by four strokes, return to Metropolitan. With Jason Day staying in the United States because of the pending birth of a child and Scott unavailable, Australia will be represented by Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith.

Matt Kuchar, who won the 2011 World Cup for the U.S. with partner Gary Woodland, is teaming up with Kyle Stanley. Ian Poulter and Tyrrell Hatton will represent England and will start among the favourites. Anirban Lahiri, who missed the cut at last week’s Australian Open, will partner Gaganjeet Bhullar for India.

One player coming in on a high will be Abraham Ancer, who won the Australian Open at The Lakes in Sydney by five strokes. He’ll have Roberto Diaz playing with him and representing Mexico.

“My first time in Australia, everybody told me how great it was,” Ancer said, “and I feel like I love this country already in four or five days that I’ve been here.”

Abbotsford, B.C. residents Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor will pair up to represent Canada in the tourney.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Charles Howell III made a 15-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a playoff with Patrick Rodgers on Sunday in the RSM Classic to end an 11-year victory drought.

Howell dropped to his knees and buried his head in his hands, then tearfully embraced wife Heather and children Ansley and Chase – neither of whom were born when he last won on the PGA Tour at Riviera in 2007.

Howell earned $1,152,000 and a return trip to his hometown of Augusta, Georgia, in April to play in the Masters for the first time since 2012

“That was the first thing that popped into my head (after making the clinching putt),” Howell said. “Obviously, it means a lot to me being from Augusta but it means a lot to every player, right? Every golfer in the world knows what the Masters is so I’m nothing special on that. But that tournament, that atmosphere, just everything … it’s tough at home to sit back and watch that on television.”

After Rodgers sent a birdie attempt of 21 feet past the cup on the second extra hole, Howell’s putt died in the cup and capped a comeback in which he went bogey-double bogey on his first two holes to lose the lead he had held through the first three rounds.

“The way I started today, I just honestly thought I shot myself in the foot again,” Howell said. “I thought that was pretty much over. I had seen this movie before.”

Howell closed with a 3-under 67, birdieing Nos. 15-17, to match Rodgers at 19-under 263 in the final PGA Tour event of the year. After making the 36-hole cut on the 2-under number, Rodgers shot 61-62 on the weekend.

Howell had a 22-foot birdie attempt on the final hole to win in regulation, but the ball turned away from the cup inches from the edge. Both players had birdie looks on the first playoff hole, with Rodgers missing from 27 feet and Howell from 14 feet off the front fringe.

The 39-year-old Howell also won in 2002 at Kingsmill.

Rodgers’ 17-under 123 weekend was one shot off Troy Matteson’s PGA Tour record for consecutive rounds of 122 set the 2009 Frys.com Championship. He finished second for the third time in four years.

“I fought as hard as I could,” said Rodgers, who broke Tiger Woods’ scoring record at Stanford and tied his victory record. “I didn’t really back down. I stayed aggressive and I made birdies all the way to the finish. It’s a testament to how well Charles played.”

Webb Simpson (65) had a 12-foot birdie opportunity at the final hole to join the playoff, but missed. He lost the RSM Classic in sudden death to Ben Crane in 2011.

Luke List (65) and Bryan Blaum (66) tied for fourth at 17 under and Tour rookie Cameron Champ, who took the lead after Howell’s early stumbles and was in a four-way tie for first with Howell, Rodgers and Simpson with seven holes to play shot 69 and finished alone in sixth at 16 under.

Canadian David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., finished tied for 15th at 13 under par.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Charles Howell III had a 2-under 68 for a one-shot lead Saturday in the RSM Classic, along with a reminder that winning for the first time in more than 11 years won’t be easy.

With two quick birdies, Howell stretched his lead to five shots.

By the end of the third round, his lead was down to one shot over PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ and Jason Gore, who each shot 66 and made up ground on the back nine of the Seaside course at Sea Island.

Howell was at 16-under 194 as he tries to end 332 starts on the PGA Tour without winning.

“I have a chance to win the tournament, and I’d have taken that Thursday morning,” Howell said.

His last victory was at Riviera in 2007, and the last time Howell had at least a share of the 54-hole lead was 10 years ago at Turning Stone, a tournament that no longer exists. Howell has not won in any of his previous five times atop the leaderboard going into the final round.

Webb Simpson had a 63 and was two shots behind, along with Ryan Blaum (65).

David Hearn (67) of Brantford, Ont., was tied for seventh at 11 under. Ben Silverman (65) of Thornhill, Ont., was tied for 32nd at 7 under, Corey Conners (70) of Listowel, Ont., was in a group tied for 43rd at 6 under and Roger Sloan (71) of Merritt, B.C., was tied for 75th at 1 under.

Ten players are within five shots of the lead, a list that includes Sea Island resident Zach Johnson, who had a 65.

That was the size of Howell’s lead over the field when he had two birdies through three holes, and even after his first bogey of the tournament when he went just over the back of the green at No. 4. But he recovered with a pair of birdies, made the turn in 32 and had a four-shot lead over Champ.

And then it was steady golf the rest of the way as Champ and Gore, along with Simpson and others, closed the gap.

Champ ran off four straight birdies starting with the par-5 seventh, the last two from about 20 feet. Gore missed a tap-in par on the ninth and was burning, but he bounced back with a birdie to start the back nine, and really got in the game with a 3-wood to 18 feet for eagle on the par-5 15th.

Howell had one birdie, one bogey and not nearly enough good birdie chances on the back nine.

“I didn’t finish off with much of anything,” Howell said. “I knew the guys would make birdies and close the gap if I didn’t get going, and that’s what happened.”

Howell will be playing Sunday with two players who couldn’t be any different.

Champ is a 23-year-old who in his second start as a PGA Tour member last month in the Sanderson Farms Championship. He also hits it harder than anyone Howell has ever seen. Gore is a part-time insurance salesman and part-time comedian who still loves the chance to compete. He is certified only as an insurance salesman, proudly showing his certificate that he earned a few weeks ago.

“Passed on my first try,” he said.

As powerful as Champ is off the tee – driver or strong 3-iron, it really doesn’t matter – he is contending this week on the strength of his putting. He hit a 343-yard drive on the ninth hole leaving a flip wedge to the green, but he came up some 20 feet short and made the putt.

He only had a chip 6-iron to the par-5 15th, hit that into the bunker and had to make a 15-footer for his birdie.

“I’ve been playing well,” Champ said. “This is the best I’ve ever putted.”

Gore only received a sponsor exemption Sunday night, and he had second thoughts about flying across the country from California because he hadn’t played on any tour in three months and he was enjoying life at home.

It lowered his expectations, and even going into the final round one shot, that’s where he’s keeping them.

“What am I going to do tomorrow? I’m going to show up,” he said. “I wish I could give you a profound answer. It’s not going to change my life. Well, it could change my life, but I’m not going to look at it that way.”

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Charles Howell III is playing some of his best golf when he least expected it.

Coming from a missed cut in Mexico to a tournament where he missed the cut last year, Howell kept bogeys off his card for the second straight day and was just as good Friday on the tougher scoring course at Sea Island.

He had a 6-under 64 on the Seaside course and matched the best 36-hole score of his career to build a three-shot lead in the RSM Classic.

“You just never know what’s around the corner in this game,” Howell said. “I thought I played pretty good in Mexico and just missed the cut there. Came here, I like it here, I didn’t really know what to expect and then this happens. So it’s a crazy game and we’re reminded of it daily. This is another reminder.”

Canadian David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., sits tied for 5th at 8 under par after 6-under 66 in Friday’s second round. Fellow countryman Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is T10 at 6 under par.

Howell was at 14-under 128, his best two-day total on the PGA Tour since the Las Vegas Invitational in 2003, when it was a 90-hole event.

He was three shots ahead of PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ and Jason Gore, who only recently was certified as an insurance salesman and found out just five days ago there was room for him at Sea Island.

Gore was headed to Pebble Beach for an mixed invitational event until getting word that he was in the RSM Classic. This is his first tournament in three months, though he has kept busy playing golf with clients in his new insurance venture with his wife.

He looked plenty sharp in sunshine that warmed the Georgia coastline ever so slightly. Gore birdied his last four holes for a 63.

“I haven’t played a weekend in so long, I don’t know what to do,” Gore said. “I’ve got nothing to lose. This is fun for me. I’m an insurance salesman now. I’ve got a real job now and all that good stuff. Just glad my boss would let me off to play.”

His boss is his wife, Meghan, who presumably does most of the work. Gore plays a lot of golf with clients, and it restored some of the fun in the game that beat him up over the years.

Champ also birdied his last four holes and goes into another week in the mix on the PGA Tour. He already has one victory, the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi in his second start as a tour member, and was in range in Las Vegas and Mexico.

Playing with tournament host Davis Love III, his birdie run began with a tricky lie in thin sand to the left of the green about 90 feet from the hole on the par-5 15th. He blasted that out to 10 feet and made the putt, hit a wedge to 8 feet on the next hole, a 6-iron to 5 feet into the stiff breeze on the par-3 17th and closed out his big run with a 10-foot birdie putt for a 63.

“I decided to just get in the fairway, just give myself looks on the greens, and that’s been paying off so far,” Champ said. “On top of that, I’ve been making the putts.”

Nick Watney shot an 8-under 64 on the Plantation and was five shots behind.

The final two rounds will be at Seaside.

Howell can’t think of a better two days striking the ball, evidenced by missing only two fairways and two greens over 36 holes, both of those on Friday at Seaside. He thought he played better than his opening 64, mainly because Seaside features so many holes with a cross wind.

He also picked up most of his shots on the inward nine at Seaside, which was the early part of his round because he started on No. 10. The 14th hole along with water causes the most consternation because the wind is strongest along the water, blowing into him and to the right. With the tees slightly forward because of the wind, he hit driver and 9-iron to 15 feet, and then birdied three of the next four holes.

Howell has two PGA Tour victories in nearly 20 years, and yet the weekend feels like a new experience to him. This is only the fifth time he’s had the 36-hole lead, and the first time since the 2003 Tour Championship.

“I’ve almost done everything in my career, but playing with a lead isn’t one thing I’ve really done a whole lot,” Howell said. “I could talk to you about finishing second or third a lot. As many golf tournaments as I’ve played, this is still relatively new for me, which is kind of surprising at almost 40 years old.”

Howell says one problem he has battled is thinking too far ahead and trying too hard. The golf courses, especially Seaside because of the cold and wind, have kept him from thinking too much about anything except the shot in front of him. For two rounds, it has worked beautifully.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Rory McIlroy is set to give up European Tour membership in 2019 to focus on the U.S. PGA Tour.

Just for the year, for now.

McIlroy said on Tuesday at the World Tour Championship he intends to play only two full-field European Tour events in the first half of 2019 because of changes in the tournament schedule.

The three-time Race to Dubai champion said he’ll be spending most of his time in the U.S. because the Players’ Championship and the U.S. PGA Championship have been brought forward to March and May respectively. That has pushed the European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship, to September.

“It is the result of the changes,” he said. “I don’t have to commit to anything until May, so I will not have played a European Tour event … I will play the WGCs and majors and events like that, but the true European Tour season does not start until July.

“The way the schedule has worked for next year, it is going to be different for a lot of guys. Everything is going to be so condensed between March and August, and that is why I am taking a big off-season to get myself ready … then go at it hard from March all the way through to basically the end of the season.”

McIlroy said relinquishing his membership was made easier by the fact that 2019 was a non-Ryder Cup year.

“I am starting my year off in the States (Tournament of Champions in January) and that will be the big focus of mine up until the end of August, and then we will assess it from there.”

The former world No. 1 is ranked seventh. He’s won only once since the 2016 Tour Championship.

“I guess my thing is that I want to play against the strongest fields week in and week out, and for the most part of the season that is in America,” he said. “If I want to continue to contend in the majors and to continue my journey back towards the top of the game, then that’s what I want to do.

“If it were to be that I don’t fulfil my membership next year, it’s not a Ryder Cup year so it’s not the end of the world. I am always going to want to play the Ryder Cup and I will try and make the team the year later.”

McIlroy heads into the World Tour Championship ranked sixth in the Race to Dubai. The Northern Irishman has no chance of winning the Order of Merit crown for the fourth time. Only Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood can win the race.

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Matt Kuchar had gone four years, six months and three weeks since his last PGA Tour victory.

The last few holes Sunday at the Mayakoba Golf Classic must have felt just as long.

Kuchar started the final round with a four-shot lead and made only two bogeys in the first 67 holes he played at El Camaleon Golf Club. And then he made back-to-back bogeys, Danny Lee holed a birdie putt from off the 16th green, and Kuchar had no margin for error.

He finished with three pars, making nervy 3-footers on the last two holes, to close with a 2-under 69 for a one-shot victory and a big sigh of relief.

“I didn’t want a 3-footer on the last hole,” Kuchar said. “I was hoping to have a three or four-shot lead for some wiggle room. But man, that felt awfully good.”

Lee, the only player to sustain a serious threat against Kuchar, finished with two pars for a 65.

Kuchar still wasn’t entirely in the clear. His 15-foot birdie attempt on the 17th rolled about 3 1/2 feet by the hole, and he had to make that for par to stay in the lead. And on the final hole, he left his 30-foot birdie putt about 3 feet short and had to roll that in for the victory.

“That was some of the best ball-striking I’ve had, and through 60 some holes, awfully good putting,” Kuchar said. “And then the putter kind of went a little bit on the fritz there coming in. Thrilled to be the champion here. It’s been a long time for me. It feels extra sweet right now.”

The 40-year-old Kuchar had gone 115 starts on the PGA Tour since his last victory in the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head in April 2014. It comes at the end of what had been a disappointing year in which Kuchar finished out of the top 70 on the PGA Tour money list for the first time since 2007, and he failed to make the Ryder Cup team for the first time in 10 years.

“My 2018 wasn’t what I wanted,” Kuchar said. “This is a high note. It’s amazing thing to get a win. I go from ‘Hola’ to ‘Aloha.’ I’m pretty excited about that.”

Kuchar qualifies for the Sentry Tournament of Champions to start next year at Kapalua.

He finished at 22-under 262, breaking by one the 72-hole record at Mayakoba previously held by Harris English.

PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ had a 12-foot eagle attempt on the 13th hole that would have brought him within two shots, but he missed the putt and sent his next tee shot into the mangroves, making double bogey. He had another double bogey on the 17th hole and had to settle for a 69 to tie for 10th.

J.J. Spaun (66) and Richy Werenski (67) tied for third.

Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk closed with a 67 and was among those who tied for sixth.

Adam Hadwin (68) of Abbotsford, B.C., tied for 10th at 16 under.

Kuchar won for the eighth time on the PGA Tour in a career marked more by consistency than trophies. This year, he had neither. He had only four top 10s – his best finish was a tie for fifth in Phoenix – and was coming off a tie for 57th in Las Vegas.

He added Mayakoba at the last minute, and with his regular caddie having previous plans, Kuchar hired a local caddie from El Camaleon. He referred to the week as a “working vacation” because of the beaches and amenities at Mayakoba, though it felt like work at the end.

“Golf is such a funny game,” Kuchar said. “It’s hard to predict when it’s going to come around.”

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – For three days, Matt Kuchar has felt in total control of his game at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

It shows in his score.

For the second straight day, Kuchar had enough birdies to atone for one rough hole, and it carried him to a 6-under 65 to set the 54-hole tournament record and build a four-shot lead as he tries to end more than four years without a PGA Tour victory.

Kuchar was at 20-under 193, breaking by three shots his personal best on the tour, and by one shot is 54-hole score to par.

“I felt really, really good for three days,” Kuchar said. “I mean, 20 under is my best 54-hole total. I felt in control of my ball striking. I felt in control of driving, the iron play, the putting. It’s been a great three days.”

Kuchar saved par from just off the green at the 18th to keep his four-shot margin over Whee Kim, who had a 66.

The last time Kuchar had a four-shot lead going into the final round was the 2014 Houston Open, and he wound up losing in a playoff when Matt Jones made a 45-foot birdie putt on the last hole and then chipped in from 40 yards in a playoff.

The other two times Kuchar had the 54-hole lead, he won the Memorial in 2013 one week after losing a one-shot lead at Colonial.

“You know the deal, though. You have to go play good golf,” Kuchar said. “I can’t go out there and think a whole bunch of pars are going to get me in the winner’s circle. I’ve still got to make a good number of birdies, and with that, somewhat have the pedal down.”

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C. shot a 68 and was seven shots back at 13-under 200.

Richy Werenski and Danny Lee each shot 67 and were five shots back, followed by a group that included PGA Tour rookie of the year Aaron Wise (63) and Cameron Champ (69). Champ, who played in the final group with Kuchar and Lee, already won this season at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Kuchar has been piling up birdies at El Camaleon Golf Club, and he began to pull away with four birdies on the front nine. Just like Friday, however, one hole gave him stress. It was the 12th hole in the second round, when he had to make a 35-foot bogey putt. On Saturday, it was a tee shot on the 14th. Kuchar took a penalty from the hazard, and dropped in a good lie a few inches next to the cart path.

Instead of taking relief into deeper rough, he hit with his feet on the path and picked it clean so his fairway metal wouldn’t smack into the cement. It came up just short of the green, and he chipped to 5 feet and made the bogey putt.

Kuchar responded with a tee shot to 4 feet on the par-3 15th to restore his margin to four shots, and he caught a break on the last hole when he pulled his approach, but it struck a tree and came down in light rough to set up a simple up-and-down.

Champ was trying to get into the final group for Sunday with a par on the last hole, but his wedge came out hot from the rough and rolled through the green, his chip came out heavy and he three-putted for double bogey.

Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk had a 66 and was at 13-under 200. Also seven shots behind was Anirban Lahiri of India, who was tied with Kuchar early on the front line and still in the mix until a double bogey on the 14th hole and a bogey on the 16th. He had to settle for a 69.

Kuchar’s last PGA Tour victory was at Hilton Head in 2014. He won the Fiji International with his dad caddying for him late in 2015, but struggled to contend this year and failed to reach the third FedEx Cup playoff event for the first time in nearly a decade. He also did not make the Ryder Cup team for the first time in 10 years.

“So 2018 has not been my best year, has not been a highlight for me, been a disappointing year,” Kuchar said. “But it’s got signs now of righting the ship and turning into a great start to … maybe it’s a great finish to ’18, great start to ’18-19, however you want to classify the calendar.”

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Matt Kuchar knew he was in trouble when his tee shot sailed so far to the right that he hit a provisional in case the ball was out-of-bounds.

He found the ball, and somehow never lost the lead.

Kuchar escaped his only big mess Friday with a 35-foot bogey putt on the 12th hole, and he rode eight birdies to a 7-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead over PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ going into the weekend at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

Champ, going after his second victory in three weeks, played in the morning and shot 62 with a bogey on his final hole.

Kuchar was at 14-under 128 as he tries to end more than four years without a PGA Tour victory.

“Yesterday was kind of a bogey-free day and just easy, and everything else today was about the same,” he said. “I just had that one challenging hole.”

The challenge was figuring out what to do once he found it.

The ball was under a cluster of trees and bushes with rocks scattered everywhere. Even taking a one-shot penalty for an unplayable lie was not an easy option. If his drop settled between rocks, he would have to play that or take another penalty.

Finally, he found a spot and the drop landed in enough soft soil for him to pitch out of trouble, through the fairway and into the rough. He got his fourth shot onto the green and made the long putt to escape with bogey.

“That was great,” Kuchar said. “I knew I had a par 5 following it, and I figured I was probably going to make double there and birdie on the next. I ended up making bogey there and par on the par-5 13th, so still felt like I was very much in control.”

What put Kuchar in good shape were the five straight birdies on the front nine, and then he took the lead for the first time with a birdie on No. 11 before his wild adventure on the 12th hole. Tied again for the lead, he added two birdies coming in for his two-shot cushion.

Champ already is the talk of the tour for the speed of his swing and how far he hits the ball, though there is more to his game than length. El Camaleon Golf Club is all about location – preferably the fairway – more than smashing it as far as possible.

Two weeks after winning the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi, he worked on a few tweaks in his swing and was in full control of where the ball was going. For the second straight day, Champ missed only two fairways, key to good scoring at Mayakoba.

“It’s not a bomber’s course,” Champ said. “You have to place it off the tee, and some holes the rough is very thick and you’ve just got to whack it out. This course I feel like is very suitable for everyone. Just to be able to place my ball right in the fairways and on the greens and make the putts when I needed is great.”

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., was the only Canadian to make the cut after firing a 4-under 67 to tie for 10th at 10 under. Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., all exited the tournament.

An area renowned for its wild weather – rain out of nowhere, plenty of wind – has seen sunshine and calms for two days, and it’s reflected in the scoring.

The cut was at 4-under 138. The weekend will not include Jordan Spieth.

The three-time major champion missed the cut in his final event of the year after a 69. Spieth managed only eight birdies in good scoring conditions and will have the weekend off for the seventh time this year. Next up is his wedding over Thanksgiving weekend.

Kuchar, meanwhile, has more than Champ to worry about the next two rounds.

The seven players at 11-under 131 included defending champion Patton Kizzire, past Mayakoba champion Brian Gay and Anirban Lahiri of India, who has played in the last two Presidents Cups. Eighteen players were within five shots of the lead.

Rickie Fowler (68) and Tony Finau (65) were at 8-under 134, along with their Ryder Cup captain, Jim Furyk, who had a 65.

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Matt Kuchar decided at the last minute to play the Mayakoba Golf Classic and made it look like a smart move Thursday.

Kuchar missed only two fairways at El Camaleon Golf Club, key to good scoring, and kept bogeys off his card for a 7-under 64 that gave him a share of the lead with Dominic Bozzelli and PGA Tour rookie Kramer Hickok.

Kuchar has gone more than four years since his last PGA Tour victory. His 64 was his lowest opening round on tour since a 64 in the 2017 Phoenix Open.

“It’s an amazing resort, Mayakoba. So to be able to bring the family to enjoy some vacation time, it’s a bit of a working vacation,” Kuchar said. “I had a good time at the office, as well.”

Most players did, with more than half of the 132-man field in the 60s.

Canadian Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., was in the group after carding a bogey-free 66 highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 13th hole. Fellow B.C. product Nick Taylor is T42 at 3 under par.

Jordan Spieth was not among them. Playing his second straight week in the fall – and his last tournament before his wedding – Spieth traded birdies and bogeys and had to settle for an even-par 71, leaving him in need to a good round Friday just to stick around for the weekend.

One of his former roommates had no such issues.

Hickok also played college golf at Texas and lived with Spieth in Dallas until a few months ago, when all the roommates had to find other arrangements as Spieth prepares for his marriage to Annie Verret.

Spieth had his first PGA Tour victory seven months after leaving college early. Hickok toiled on the Mackenzie Tour in Canada, then the Web.com Tour before finally making it to the big leagues. But he says he learns plenty by playing with Spieth at home.

“I’m reaching out when I’m home and trying to pick his brain a little bit here and there, but really just watching him play, what he does at practice,” Hickok said.

Among those in the large group at 65 was Abraham Ancer, whose tie for fourth last week in Las Vegas moved him to No. 98 in the world. That made Ancer the first Mexican golfer to crack the top 100 in the world ranking, and he carried that to his native soil and kept moving in the right direction.

Also at 65 were Bud Cauley as he returns from a car accident at the Memorial in early June, and defending champion Patton Kizzire, who made back-to-back eagles on the par-5 fifth hole and by holing out on the par-4 sixth.

Rickie Fowler was among those at 66.

Kuchar has slipped to No. 40 in the world, failed to reach the third round of the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time in a decade and did not play in the Ryder Cup for the first time in 10 years. He still keeps upbeat on and off the golf course, and decided while in Las Vegas (a tie for 57th) to play Mayakoba.

His caddie already had other plans, so Kuchar hired a local caddie from El Camaleon.

His wife, Sybi, also got in on the act. Kuchar was playing with Zach Johnson, whose caddie (Damon Green) became ill from the heat with four holes to play. Kuchar’s wife was following along in the gallery and carried Johnson’s bag the rest of the way.

“I knew she had caddied for me before and was friendly with Zach Johnson, and figured she would be good to handle it, and Zach would go easy on her,” Kuchar said.

Kuchar and Johnson live at Sea Island on the Georgia coast.

Spieth was 2 under through eight holes until he dropped three shots over the next eight holes. Going back to an old driver didn’t help as he hit only six fairways, making it tough to score for anyone out of the rough.

“If you’re not driving it well, this course is extremely hard,” Kuchar said. “If you’re driving it well, you can make some birdies, which I was able to do today.”