Nick Watney shot a course-record 62 on Saturday to claim a share of the lead with Rickie Fowler at the AT&T National.
It was a day of high scoring at Aronimink Golf Club as Chris Kirk lowered the previous mark equalled by KJ Choi on Friday, but Watney bettered that by one to join Fowler on nine-under, one ahead of Choi.
Watney said afterwards: “It was really nice to finally get something going.
“I felt like I played well all week and was just one-under par to start the day. So I’m very pleased with the back nine and looking forward to tomorrow.”
Watney made a blistering start with back-to-back birdies at his first two holes, but successive bogeys at the par-three eighth and par-five ninth meant threatened to derail his round. However, the American immediately responded with successive birdies at the par-four 10th and 11th, and he hit red hot form from the 13th. Watney reeled off three straight birdies before making an eagle at the par-five 16th, and he added another birdie at the par-three 17th to finish eight-under for the day.
Joining him at the summit ahead of the final day is Fowler, who was also in fine form on Saturday. The American made five birdies on the front nine before making two more after the turn, but a bogey at the par-three 17th denied him sole possession of the lead as he signed for 64.
Hot on their heels is Choi, who recovered from a poor front nine to remain in contention. The South Korean, who won this tournament in 2007, made four bogeys and two birdies over his first nine holes as he lost ground on the leaders, but he recovered with birdies at the par-three 14th, par-five 16th and par-four 18th to finish one-under overall and improve to eight-under through 54 holes.
