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Sutherland Closes In On Victory

October 24, 2008
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Seven birdies and no bogeys have Sutherland in position to grab his second PGA Tour title.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Kevin Sutherland shot a 7-under 63 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over George McNeill after the third round of the Frys.com Open, the fifth of the PGA Tour's seven Fall Series events.

The 44-year Sutherland had a 14-under 196 total on Grayhawk's Raptor Course. McNeill followed his second-round 63 with a 66.

"I've played terrific all year," said Sutherland, who won the 2002 Accenture Match Play Championship for his lone PGA Tour title. "This is my last tournament of the year, so it'd be great to cap it off with a win."

Thirty-second on the money list with just over $2 million, Sutherland had seven birdies in his bogey-free round.

"I came here just to play and have fun and I plan to do that)," said Sutherland, a playoff loser this year in The Barclays.

The 29-year-old McNeill won a Fall Series event last year in Las Vegas for his lone tour title.

"I've always played pretty well towards the end of the year," McNeill said.

Paul Goydos (66), John Mallinger (66) and Steve Allan (68) were 12 under, Cameron Beckman (64) and Woody Austin (65) were another stroke back and 49-year-old Bob Tway (64), Mathew Goggin (68) and second-round leader Arron Oberholser (71) were 10 under.

Beckman is winless since the 2001 Southern Farm Bureau Classic.

"I got off to a pretty good start," Beckman said. "All week long I've been hitting a lot of greens. Played real solid all day.

Tway hasn't won since 2003. He eagled the 10th hole, but double-bogeyed the 16th.

"I had a chance to shoot really low today. I holed it at 10 to go 6 under. I had a few more pretty respectable birdie chances the next few holes and didn't make them."

Oberholser had a one-stroke lead over Allan coming into the third round. He bogeyed the 11th hole and double-bogeyed the 12th.

Defending champion Mike Weir (69) was 7 under.