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Journeyman Bryant forges three clear at East Lake

Posted on: Saturday, 5 November 2005, 17:22 CST

By Steve Keating

ATLANTA (Reuters) - American Bart Bryant stayed on course for a third PGA Tour title by firing a four-under-par 66 in the Tour Championship third round on Saturday.

The 42-year-old journeyman, making his first appearance at the season-ending event, finished on 14-under 196 at the East Lake Golf Club, three strokes ahead of defending champion Retief Goosen who returned a 69.

South African Goosen, who shared the overnight lead with Bryant, got his day off to a flying start with birdies at the first two holes and another at the sixth but could not match Bryant over the tough closing stretch.

World number one Tiger Woods closed to within four of the lead with another gritty display, a 67 leaving him at 10-under 200 and in sight of his seventh title of the season.

The 10-times major winner is also on the brink of becoming golf's first $11 million man.

A late bloomer who did not claim the first of his two career titles until stepping into the winner's circle last year at the Texas Open, Bryant is poised to provide a Cinderella finish to the season if he can fend off golf's biggest names for one more day and claim the $6.5 million Tour finale.

"I don't know how comfortable I'm going to feel tomorrow," said Bryant, the winner of the Memorial tournament in June.

GREAT PLAYERS

"I know there's some great players. You've got the number one ranked player and the number four ranked player in the world right on my tail.

"I know I'm going to have to go out and play well tomorrow. It's not going to be given to me.

"I'm a little surprised in my mind but I'm sure I'm a surprise in a lot of people's minds that I'm still leading at this point."

Bryant has maintained all week that he does not fit in among the 29 players that make up the tournament's elite field but once again on Saturday his play said something different.

Opening his round in style with a birdie at the first, he played error-free golf in a controlled front nine, picking up shots at seven and nine before carding his first bogey of the day -- and just his fourth of the week -- at the par-four 13th.

Bryant immediately hit back, however, with a birdie at 14 before ending his round in spectacular fashion by blasting out of a greenside bunker at the last for another birdie to secure a three-shot cushion going into Sunday.

"I had a perfect lie," said Bryant. "Luckily it came off as planned, and if it hadn't hit the pin it might have gone four or five feet by the hole.

NICE FINISH

"That was a really nice way to finish."

After getting to three under after the first six holes, Goosen looked poised to run away from Bryant until back-to-back bogeys on seven and eight brought the world number four back to the American.

The smooth-swinging South African recovered with a birdie on nine but could not build on the momentum over the inward stretch and finished with eight pars and a bogey on 17.

Woods made a stuttering start to his round with a bogey five at the first, at one stage falling seven shots off the pace.

After six consecutive pars, he finally mounted his charge and roared into the turn with back-to-back birdies on eight and nine before dropping another shot at the 12th.

A late rally, which included three birdies over the final five holes, left the 10-times major winner within striking distance of his second Tour Championship crown.

"I felt like I was swinging the club better today," said U.S. Masters and British Open champion Woods. "I was just trying to get under par for day.

"Had birdies at eight and nine was just kind of kept hanging in there."

Source: REUTERS

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