Nico Echavarria eagles the final hole for a 2-shot lead at the Zozo Championship

INZAI CITY, Japan (AP) — Nico Echavarria shot 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 after winning last year in Puerto Rico. Thomas has won 15 times on the PGA Tour, but is without a victory in 2 1/2 years since winning the 2022 PGA Championship.

Max Greyserman, looking for his first PGA Tour win, carded a 64 and is three back. Three more are six behind and still in the mix: Kevin Yu (66), Rickie Fowler (67) and Nate Lashley (63).

“I mean, that’s the way you want to finish a round,” said Echavarria, who hit a 5-wood to 2 feet for the tap-in on the 550-yard hole. “I had a good tee shot, hit a really good second shot and finished with an eagle. I prefer that than a birdie obviously.”

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 thick rough on his third shot, and then dropped a clutch putt.

It might have saved his round.

"I started getting shaky on the back nine with a bogey on 9 and an incredible save on 12," he said. “But we finished the round as well as we could.”

Echavarria is 17-under 193 at the par-70 Narashino Country Club, located 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 the feeling.

“It’s obviously tough,” he said. “It’s hard to win at any stage, doesn’t matter who you are.”

He said early success might have made it look easier than it is.

“To yourself and everybody else,” he added.

“At the end of the day it has been a while, but I’ve still won a pretty good amount of golf tournaments. I know how to win. It’s just a matter of executing and doing it and that’s really been the biggest difference. There’s a reason there’s only one every week.”

Fowler, who tied for the runner-up two years ago and has connections to Japan, suggested he was close to making a run.

“There’s been a lot of good signs, but over the past few events I just haven’t really put it all together," he said. "So I’m looking forward to getting out there and hopefully we can get a good one going.”

The pre-tournament favorites are far out of contention.

Defending champion Collin Morikawa shot 70 and was 13 shots behind, as is Xander Schauffele after a 68.

Japanese favorite Hideki Matsuyama shot 66 — his best round of the tournament — but is 15 shots off the lead.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Max Greyserman of the United States lines up a putt on the 15th green in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

Max Greyserman of the United States hits his tee shot on the 15th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

Justin Thomas of the United States walks infront of zozo logo on the 16th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

Justin Thomas of the United States reacts after a putt on the 17th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

Justin Thomas of the United States hits his tee shot on the 17th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

Nico Echavarria of Colombia, right, hits his tee shot on the 18th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

Nico Echavarria of Colombia acknowledges the fans after putting on the 17th green in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

Nico Echavarria of Colombia is seen on the 16th hole in the third round of the PGA Tour Zozo Championship at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai on the outskirts of Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Collin Graf and Pavol Regenda each had a goal and an assist and the San Jose Sharks used a three-goal second period to top the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Thursday night.

Zack Ostapchuk also scored, tying the game with the first of the Sharks' three goals in a span of 2:46. Alex Nedeljkovic made 21 saves for San Jose, which has won four of five.

Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard scored for the Capitals, Alex Ovechkin had an assist and Logan Thompson made 23 saves.

Strome put the Capitals up 1-0 at 10:58 of the second period, but the Sharks took over from there.

Ostapchuk tied it at 1 at 13:27 and Graf gave the Sharks the lead at 14:53 when he tipped in a pass from Regenda. San Jose went up 3-1 on Regenda's goal at 16:13.

Leonard made it a one-goal game at 9:11 of the third when beat Nedeljkovic.

Sharks: Play at Detroit on Friday night.

Capitals: Host Florida on Saturday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

San Jose Sharks center Zack Ostapchuk, right, celebrates his goal with San Jose Sharks defenseman Dmitry Orlov (9) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals center Hendrix Lapierre (29) collides with San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro (38) and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (33) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (33) stops the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

San Jose Sharks right wing Collin Graf (51) celebrates his goal with left wing Pavol Regenda (84) and others during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)