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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida - American Sean O'Hair birdied the last three holes to grab a one-shot lead at golf Players Championship after Sunday's (NZ time) third round yielded a glut of low scores.
O'Hair, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2005 John Deere Classic, took control with a sparkling six-under-par 66 on a relatively calm day at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass.
That left him on nine-under 207, a stroke ahead of overnight pacesetter Phil Mickelson who birdied the last for a 69.
PGA Tour rookie Jeff Quinney fired a best-of-the-week 64 to share third place at seven under with Peter Lonard of Australia (68), who produced the second albatross of the tournament at the par-five second.
Britain's Luke Donald (65) was a further two shots back in a tie for fifth with Australia's Aaron Baddeley (67), American Chris DiMarco (69), Argentina's Jose Coceres (68) and Swede Carl Pettersson (70).
Although the firm and fast-running course played easier than the two previous days, Tiger Woods failed to take advantage.
The world number one battled to a one-over 73 to finish at five-over 221, 14 off the pace. It was his fifth successive score above par at the tournament unofficially dubbed the fifth major.
O'Hair, playing in the penultimate group with Lonard, reeled off four birdies in an outward nine of four-under 32.
Although he bogeyed the 10th and 15th, he picked up his fifth shot of the day at the par-five 11th before surging to the top of the leaderboard with his grandstand finish.
"That was a nice way to end the day," the 24-year-old told reporters after rolling in a five-foot putt at the last.
"It was a great day out there.
"It's going to be a lot of fun tomorrow," added O'Hair, who will play with Mickelson in Sunday's final round.
"He's a nice guy and the crowds are going to be rowdy but that's what you play for."
Quinney, who qualified for the PGA Tour by finishing sixth on last year's Nationwide Tour money list, reeled off four birdies on each nine to set the early pace in the clubhouse.
He holed out from a bunker at the par-four 15th and did well to save par at the last after pushing his drive behind two oak trees.
"I was fortunate to get away with one (at the 18th)," said the 28-year-old from Oregon.
"It was one of those days where everything goes your way.
"The conditions were a bit easier and the wind wasn't quite as strong. I got a bit of confidence, hit a few shots closer and got a few birdies."
- REUTERS
