Golf: Furyk and Curtis share three-shot lead at Western

Americans Jim Furyk and Ben Curtis were in sight of their first win in two years after grabbing a share of the third round lead at the Western Open in Lemont, Illinois today.

After starting the day one shot off the pace, 2003 US Open champion Furyk was back on top with a four-under 67 to finish on 12-under 201 alongside Curtis, the 2003 British Open champion, who shot a flawless round of five-under 66.

Tim Herron, without a win in six years, was three shots back at nine-under 204 after battling to a one-under 70 at the Cog Hill Country Club.

Also moving into contention behind third round charges were world numbers one and two Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh.

For Furyk it marks the second time in as many weeks that he goes into Sunday parked on top of the leaderboard but for Curtis, who has missed 12 of 14 cuts this season, it is an unfamiliar position.

Furyk, who led the Barclays Classic from the start until he was overhauled by Padraig Harrington in the final five holes last week, has been a fixture among the leaders for the last two events having set the pace in five of seven rounds.

"It's nice to be in this position," said Furyk, who has seven top 10 finishes this season including three seconds. "It's stressful but maybe I'm getting a little more comfortable with it. I really need to fire a good number tomorrow.

"I played well all last week and made a couple of mistakes down the stretch but I take a lot of positives from that." Curtis, who has won just $US22,425 this season, has struck a rich vein of form ahead of this year's British Open.

"Today it just seemed I didn't get into too much trouble," he said. "I'm just focusing on each shot, it takes my mind off what I've been doing."

Woods, a three-time winner of the Western Open, eagled the par five 15th to return a four-under 67 and move within five shots of the lead at seven-under 206.

Lurking one shot further back is Singh, who carded seven birdies before a bogey on the 16th gave him a six-under 65 to leave the Fijian six off the pace at six-under 207.

- REUTERS