Adam Hadwin in contention again for PGA win

AP

San Martin, Calif. - Adam Hadwin is three strokes off the lead after posting his career best round on the PGA Tour Saturday during the third round of the Frys.com Open.

The Abbotsford, B.C. native recovered from an opening hole bogey for a 7-under 64 courtesy six birdies and an eagle on the par-5 15th - his second birdie of the weekend. At the time, the 64 equalled the CordeValle course record until Jim Renner posted a 62 to set the new mark later in the day. It was also his lowest score to date in 19 career PGA rounds.

Hadwin, who is playing this week on a sponsors exemption, is tied with Bryce Molder, Charlie Wi and youngster Bud Cauley at 10-under par. That is three off the pace of Briny Baird, who also carded a 64 to take the outright lead with one round to play.

"I'm very happy to have gotten a spot this week," Hadwin told PGA.com. "I felt like that's what I needed, just a couple more shots. The way I played at Shaughnessy [in the RBC Canadian Open], I could have at least moved inside the top 150 and get in the final stage, and if not get a card."

If Hadwin can earn approximately $200,000, he will likely move into the top 125 and earn a PGA Tour card for 2012. A victory would also earn him a Tour card for next year. If he should earn enough money to move into the top 150 on the money list, he would go straight through to the final stage of Q-School this fall.

This is the second time this year the 23-year old will go into the final round in contention for a PGA win. At the RBC Canadian Open, he entered the final round one shot off the lead before shooting 72 and finishing in a tie for fourth.

Paul Casey (68), also fighting for his tour card, and Ernie Els (67), looking for his first top-10 result of the season, are tied for second place at 11-under par.

Matt McQuillan of Kingston, Ont., is also having a solid tournament, carding his second straight round of 68 to sit at 7-under par, six shots off the lead.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot 69 to sit at 5-under par.

Tiger Woods put together back-to-back rounds in the 60s for the first time since his season-opening tournament but it's still not good enough.

Woods pulled within three shots of the lead at one point Saturday but he made a mess of the par 3s and had to settle for a 3-under 68 that left him in the middle of the pack going into the final round.

The last time Woods broke 70 in consecutive rounds was at Torrey Pines to start the year. He finished poorly that weekend and tied for 44th.

This is his first PGA Tour event in seven weeks, and his last official PGA Tour event of the season. Woods saw a few bright spots in his round, but given the glorious conditions, he realized that a 68 was not nearly enough to make up much ground.

"The golf course could have been had today," Woods said. "I was very close to really putting it together on the front nine - birdie 17 and 18, and all of a sudden, I'm 5 under."

He didn't, and he wasn't.

His tee shot on the 17th, which played only 294 yards over a pond, was pulled badly to the left in deep grass around a bunker, and Woods chopped it out across the green. He hit two good shots on the 18th, only to miss an 8-foot birdie putt.

"I wasn't that far away from really turning it to the back nine and taking it deep," said Woods. "A 62 or 63 tomorrow is not out of the realm."

Baird drove the 17th green and made a 15-foot eagle putt to give him a chance to finally win a PGA Tour event. He has gone 347 tournaments over 12 years on tour without hoisting a trophy. This is only the third time he has been atop the leaderboard going into the final round, the last occasion at Disney seven years ago.

A week ago in Las Vegas, Kevin Na ended an 0-for-210 drought on the PGA Tour by winning for the first time. Baird has that beat by miles, and his $11.9 million in career earnings is the most of anyone without a tour win.