FARMINGTON, Pa. - Vijay Singh makes it look easy winning tournament after tournament and millions upon millions of dollars while chasing Tiger Woods' single-season money record.
A slow-lifting fog and slow-moving players Saturday conspired to make for one of Singh's toughest days in weeks, but his ability to turn bad lies into good shots helped him to even 72 that kept him in the 84 Lumber Classic lead.
"I didn't play as well as I did the first two days," said Singh, who started 64-68. "My rhythm wasn't there. I was struggling to find it all day. But I still lead by two, so I'm not that disappointed."
Even when it doesn't come so easily, Singh is difficult to knock out of the lead.
Repeatedly following poor shots with exceptional ones on a day when some of his best play came merely to save par, Singh finished at 12-under 204 to lead former Florida player Chris DiMarco by two shots and Jonathan Byrd and Matt Gogel by three.
Singh can break Woods' single-season money record of $9.1-million set in 2000 by winning the $756,000 first-place prize, or, if he plays in two late-season no-cut tournaments that offer guaranteed money, by finishing second.
Heavy fog shrouded the mountaintop resort course for the third straight morning, forcing a delay in play and the decision to go out in threesomes rather than twosomes. That meant some players, including Singh, started earlier than expected so the finish could be televised.
LPGA TOUR: Leta Lindley birdied seven holes to shoot 6-under 65 for a one-shot lead over Juli Inkster after three rounds of the Longs Drugs Challenge at Sacramento, Calif.
Lindley, a 32-year-old looking for her first tour victory, birdied five holes on the back nine to finish the third round at 14-under 199.
Starting two strokes behind second-rounder leader Inkster, Lindley posted birdies on consecutive holes to finish 2 under on the front. She began the back with two more birdies to briefly take the lead before bogeying the par-4 13th.
Lindley rallied with birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 16 to take back the lead.
First-round leader Christina Kim shot 68 and was two off the lead at the Ridge Golf Club, 30 miles east of Sacramento.
CHAMPIONS: Craig Stadler was poised to become the first tour player in more than six years to win three consecutive tournaments. The first-round leader, Stadler shot 4-under 68 for a four-stroke lead after two rounds of the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C.
"It's not anything I'm thinking about," said Stadler, who has 10 top-10 finishes in 17 events this year. "I'm pretty comfortable right now and not making too many mistakes. You get in the zone where you just go out and play, and that's what I'm doing."
Stadler, atop the money list with more than $1.9-million, followed Friday's opening 65 with birdies on five of his final 12 holes, leaving him at 133.
Tom Jenkins shot 7-under 65 for second place at 137.
EUROPEAN PGA: Henrik Stenson shot 5-under 67 for a one-stroke lead over Patrik Sjoland after three rounds at the Heritage in Woburn, England. Stenson was at 13-under 203, with Sjoland (68) at 204 and Simon Wakefield (67) at 205. Mikko Ilonen shot 65 for the best round of the week, leaving him fourth at 206.
