Monday 29 June 2015 01:29, UK
Brian Harman birdied the final hole for a five-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over fellow Georgia left-hander Bubba Watson and Canada's Graham DeLaet after the third round of the Travelers Championship
Looking for his second PGA Tour victory, Harman had a bogey-free round to take a 14-under total into the final round at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
Overnight leader Watson, two strokes ahead after the second round, carded a 68 while DeLeat shot a 64.
Harman, 28, whose only previous win on the PGA Tour came at the John Deere Classic last July, booked his round with birdies, with his three on the par-four 18th following an excellent approach to three feet helping him to 14-under.
He also picked up shots at the seventh, 10th and 13th for his second successive five under par round which moved him ahead of compatriot and two-time Masters champion Watson and De Laet.
De Laet, chasing his first career PGA Tour win in 122 starts, began the day four shots off Watson's lead.
He caught the big-hitting American at the short par-four 15th where he drove the green and holed a short eagle putt but was left to rue leaving an 18-foot putt short at the last as he signed for a 64 at 13 under.
Watson bounced back from a bogey at the 12th to birdie the next and he was joined in a three-way tie at the top when Harman, playing alongside the left-hander, also birdied the hole.
Watson had a stroke of luck when a huge hook at the 15th took a kindly bounce out of the trees and into a bunker short of the green from where he escaped with par.
De Laet, Harman, Chris Stroud and Patrick Rodgers currently hold the four places for Open qualification.
England's Paul Casey put himself in contention with a six-under 64 to move to 11-under.
"It took my time to get back to that sort of form. I took advantage of benign conditions before a little bit of rain came in," he said.
"I've been striking it very well with good distance control. I understand my swing better than I used to and things are great off the golf course with (wife) Pollyanna and (son) Lex."
Sergio Garcia is in a tie for eighth alongside four others after a 66, which included six birdies and a double bogey at the par-five 13th after the Spaniard found water with his tee shot.
England's Luke Donald is two shots further back overall on seven-under after a 67, his best round of the week, while Scotland's Martin Laird is on six-under.
Travelers Championship leaderboard (after round three)
-14 B Harman (USA)
-13 B Watson (USA), G Delaet (Can)
-11 P Casey (Eng), Z Johnson, (USA), B Snedeker (USA)
-10 C Stroud (USA)
Watch the final round of the Travelers Championship from 6pm on Sky Sports 4
