Tripp Kinney takes one-stroke lead into Sunday at Bupa Championship

MEXICO CITY, Mexico –Tripp Kinney carded an 8-under 64 in the third round of the Bupa Championship to take a one-stroke lead heading into the final round at Club de Golf Mexico.

Kinney led the field in birdies made during Saturday’s third round with eight and turned in a bogey-free scorecard which included a 5-under 31 on the back nine. Through 54 holes, Kinney is the co-leader in birdies made, with 19.

A Des Moines, Iowa, native, Kinney turned professional in 2021 after playing collegiately at Iowa State from 2016-2021. Kinney is making his 15th start on PGA TOUR Americas and is in the hunt for his first career PGA TOUR-sanctioned win. This is the first time in 44 PGA TOUR-sanctioned starts that Kinney holds the 54-hole lead.

During his career at Iowa State, Kinney earned Big 12 Conference First-Team All-Academic honors four times. From 2016-2021, Kinney competed in 165 rounds for the Cyclones, which was the most in program history when he finished his career in Ames.

Third round play finished at 5:43 p.m. local time on Saturday. Final round tee times are expected to run from 6:40 a.m. to 10:46 a.m. local time off the No. 1 tee on Sunday.

Charting the leader

About Tripp Kinney (first/-15)

 

• Searching for his first career win as a professional in his 44th career PGA TOUR-sanctioned start
• Finished No. 55 in the 2024 Fortinet Cup, with his best finish coming at the 2024 Commissionaires Ottawa Open (T10)
• Earned Big 12 Conference First-Team All-Academic honors four times during his collegiate career
• Is the third member of his family, along with his grandfather and great grandfather, to letter in a varsity sport at Iowa State
• Lists Royal Melbourne as his favorite golf course

Competition notes

 

Course setup: Par 72 / 7,349 yards; R3 average: 70.999

Weather: Cloudy with a high of 73. Wind from the north at 4-7 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.

• Tripp Kinney holds the 54-hole lead at 15-under after carding a bogey-free 8-under 64 in the third round.
• Kinney lead the field in birdies made on Saturday with eight and is T1 through three rounds with 19.
• Four countries are represented in the top-5 and ties: United States (6), Norway (1), Argentina (1) and Canada (1).
• Vicente Marzilio (Argentina) is the low-Latin through 54-holes (-12/T4).
• A.J. Ewart is the low-Canadian through 54-holes (-12/T4).
• 66 players made the cut at 3-under after second round play concluded on Saturday morning.
• Hole No. 4 – the 468-yard par 4, and hole No. 16, the 237-yard par, played as the toughest holes during the third round (+0.288).