Greensboro, North Carolina: Young guns Patrick Reed and John Huh had their struggles but ended tied for the lead after third round at the $5.3 million Wyndham Championship on Saturday.
On a day when there was little movement among the lead pack, Reed carded a reasonable one-over-par 71 in intermittent rain at soggy Sedgefield Country Club.
He missed a 10-foot par putt at the last, while Huh holed out from a slightly shorter distance to salvage par. Earlier, Huh made just about the worst possible start with a triple bogey at the second hole.
Reed and Huh are at 10-under 200, one stroke ahead of Zach Johnson (66), Bob Estes (68) and Jordan Spieth (70). Eight players are within two strokes of the lead going into Sunday's final round.
PGA Tour rookie Reed dropped three strokes in the first 13 holes as he struggled with his driver, but a good tee shot at the 14th got him back on the track and he reeled off three consecutive birdies.
"I was having issues with the driver, hitting everything left of left but the tee shot on 14, that was a key point," said the 23-year-old Texan. "I'm very excited (to have the lead) but at the same time I've got work to do."
Huh, who is barely two months younger than Reed, showed composure beyond his years after his disastrous second hole, where he took five strokes to negotiate the final 60 feet.
"I pulled my second shot into the wrong spot and instead of taking my medicine I got too greedy," said Huh, who could not stop his third shot on the green.
"It was a pretty rough start but I was able to hang in there and get everything together and here I am tied for the lead."
Huh was born in New York but spent 12 years of his childhood in South Korea before moving back to the US.
Former Masters champion Johnson made the biggest move, reeling off five birdies before bogeying the final hole, the only blemish on his card, for a 66, equal to the day's best score.
"There was a lot of precipitation and just a day to be patient," said Johnson. "The course held up well (and) the greens were still fast.
"I hit it great and didn't think I was going to sniff a bogey (but then) I three-putted 18 - hit two great shots and then a terrible lag putt," he said.
Less than an hour of play was possible Saturday morning before persistent rain rendered the course unplayable shortly after 8am. Competition resumed three hours later and despite more rain, officials deemed the course playable all afternoon.
The lift, clean and place rule was invoked, allowing preferred lies from the fairways. While the softer conditions allowed for more aggressive approach shots, the course also played significantly longer.
Reed, for example, hit a "soft" wedge into the par-four second on the first two days. On Saturday he used a five-iron.
More rain is forecast for Sunday with organisers moving the start times forward and making use of starts on the first and tenth holes to try to beat the weather.
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