Watney takes a three-shot lead into final round (Roundup)

By DB Peters Aug 15, 2010, 2:03 GMT

Sheboygan, Wisconsin - American Nick Watney takes a three- shot lead into Sunday's final round at the PGA Championship after carding a six-under 66 in Saturday's third round to take his total to 203.

It could easily have been a four-shot advantage, but he played a bogey five on the par-four last hole after a poor second shot saw him well short of the green.

He then played a very good third shot and a brilliant putt saw him within two feet of the hole for a simple tap-in to restrict the damage.

Watney, however, had to share Saturday's glory with Chinese golfer Wenchong Liang, who started his third round on one-under, but then birdied eight without dropping a shot to break the course record with a tremendous eight-under 64.

Liang, who is the only Chinese golfer in the top 100, finished the day on nine-under.

But it is Watney who holds all the aces ahead of the final round as he dropped just two shots on the day and on 13-under for the tournament has his first-ever three-shot lead going into a final round.

The 29-year-old, who birdied the first two holes of the first two rounds on the Whistling Straits course in Kohler, Wisconsin, did the same again on Saturday.

He leads from Dustin Johnson and young Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, who are both on ten-under.

The 21-year-old McIlroy said he felt he had played consistently well. 'My par saves were huge. I putted really, really well today from inside ten feet.

'This is the best chance so far that I have had to win a major. It will really be my first chance to go into contention on the last day. Hopefully I am up to the challenge and if I can play as well as I did today then I will have a great chance.'

Behind the leaders a group of three players are on nine-under.

Liang, Australian Jason Day and Germany's Martin Kaymer, are all within striking distance of Watney on 207.

Kaymer, who ended the day on a five-under 67, said that he was very happy with his round. 'I was very pleased as I only had one bogey. I was playing great golf and finally the putts were dropping.

'It feels very nice to start a Sunday knowing that you have a chance to win a major championship. It gives you so much motivation and I really enjoy that.

'I put myself in a very good position. I finished in the top ten in three majors before.

'The US Open and the British Open helped me. I was thinking a lot about what was happening at the British Open, were I made a couple of double bogeys. I was not eating a lot there and had no energy, so I did not repeat those mistakes. I know what I have to do,' the German said.

The early leader Matt Kuchar slipped back to tied 11th after playing three bogeys in his round of 73 to go into the final round on seven-under.

Tiger Woods, who is struggling to gain an automatic place in the American Ryder Cup, finished his second round earlier on Saturday on 70 to be three under for the tournament.

He then started his third round poorly with three bogeys on the front nine before finding his form with four birdies coming in, but another dropped shot saw him end the round on an even par 72 to a combined total of 213.

'It was a struggling day. I putted just atrociously. I will now concentrate on the last round and try to put together a good score,' Woods said.

Earlier in the day the cut was at two-over and among the players who missed the cut were defending champion YE Yang, as well as Padraig Harrington and British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.