Graeme McDowell will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Players Championship at Sawgrass.
Ulsterman still on course for Sawgrass win despite late blemish
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Players Championship in Florida despite ending the delayed third round with a double bogey six.
Storms meant the players had to return early to TPC Sawgrass on Sunday and when play resumed McDowell was tied for the lead with Nick Watney at 11-under, both men still having 13 holes to complete.
Watney made the early move and reached the back nine with a two-shot lead.
However, as Watney faltered, McDowell kicked clear of a bunched leaderboard with birdies at 16 and 17.
It meant he teed off at the 18th in control of the tournament at 14-under and after hitting what looked a decent approach, G-Mac looked all set to conclude with a par and take a healthy lead into round four.
However, when his ball kicked out of the rough and onto the green it caught a slope, gathered pace and trundled all the way across the putting surface and into the water.
"A tough break", he called it later although when David Toms missed a short birdie putt on the same hole, McDowell remained on his own on top of the leaderboard at -12.
G-Mac is one clear of Toms and KJ Choi after the Korean fired an excellent 67.
Then comes a six-man group at nine-under - Watney, Luke Donald, Steve Stricker, Jason Dufner, Davis Love and Aaron Baddeley.
Frustrated
Watney will be the most frustrated of that chasing pack after going double bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey from the 14th where he found water off the tee.
Donald, who had played the first 36 holes without a bogey, had four of them in his third round 71 including two to finish with.
He found the water with his tee-shot at 17 and then missed a five footer on the last.
Martin Kaymer, the world number two, also ended with a bogey and he has five shots to make up on McDowell.
McDowell and Choi - the final pairing - will tee off at 1842 UK time.
