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By Chris Reimer
PGA TOUR Staff

MOOSIC, Pa. -- Richard Johnson shot a 4-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead over D.A. Points after the third round of the $500,000 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic.

Richard Johnson's biggest check this year came in Greenville, when he finished T3. He earned $37,700. (WireImage)

Johnson has gone through injuries, swing changes, life changes and played a season in Europe over the past several years. Following his day, Johnson said that he is happy with where his health, his swing and his life have all come together.

"I've come a long way the last couple years. I fell off the tour back in 2005. I went and played a little tour in Europe, where I beat up on it pretty good there and it gave me a little confidence," said the Augusta State graduate originally from Cardiff, Wales. "Last year I had some swing troubles, so I got a new coach and started hitting the ball right to left instead of left to right. I had a bunch of other personal things beyond my injury that are in place now and that makes it easier to play well out here."

Johnson won for the first time on the Nationwide Tour at the 1999 Florida Classic and again the following year at the Monterey Peninsula Classic. Johnson has made the cut in six consecutive events this season. At No. 36 on the money list this year, the 35-year-old could find himself inside "The 25" with a strong finish on Sunday.

"That's what I'll be going for. I've had chances to win this year and I haven't yet," Johnson said. "I just need to finish one off."

Johnson held a one-stroke lead following the third round of this year's BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs where he finished third. For the season, 13 of the 21 tournaments this year have been won by a player who held or shared the third-round lead. For Johnson, it's just nice to be playing well on a consistent basis.

"I might as well be in the lead. I've had the lead a couple times this year. I'm used to it," he said. "The guys out here are so good. The two guys that beat me when I had the lead in Greenville shot 30 on the back nine. I played well, there's just not much you can do. There are guys that are 9-under that could shoot 63 tomorrow."

Points defeated James Driscoll in a playoff at this event in 2004. On Saturday, the 30-year-old University of Illinois graduate birdied his final three holes to move into second place. He will play in the final group on a Sunday for the first time since he won the 2004 Pete Dye West Virginia Classic. Points is leading the tournament with an average of 26 putts-per-round this week.

"I really only made two poor swings today and I only missed one putt that I should have made," Points said. "The key to today's round was not giving up. I'm going to go out tomorrow, not look at a leaderboard, and try to put up a number. I am just going to try to hit it in the fairway and roll some putts and hope that's good enough."

Kevin Gessino-Kraft finished the day in third-place and two strokes off the lead for his best standing after three rounds of his Nationwide Tour career. His previous best was at the 2006 Movistar Panama Championship where he was 4th after three rounds. He finished the tournament with a second-place finish.

"I'll take where I am right now, especially the way I've been playing lately" the Kent State University grad said after his round. "Tonight, I'm going to have some dinner, have a glass or two of wine, call my wife and listen to some heavy metal music to get ready for tomorrow."

It was in Panama that Gessino-Kraft, who sports a pointed dark goat-tee for facial hair, got the nickname 'El Diablo' from a local sports anchor. During Saturday's round, Gessino-Kraft sported red pants with white stripes made by Stun Golf that included artwork of devils on each leg.

Second & Third-Round News & Notes: Jim McGovern and Chad Collins finished the second round on Saturday morning in the lead at 11-under-par, one stroke ahead of D.A. Points and Richard Johnson.....Jon Mills shot the only bogey-free third round... Scott Gardiner made his 11th consecutive cut, the longest active streak on Tour. Gardiner is No. 21 on the money list and finished the second round at 7-under-par....Patrick Sheehan made the biggest move on Saturday with a third-round 64 to move from T42 at the beginning of round three to T4.... Paul Claxton was forced to withdraw due to a back injury on Saturday. According to Claxton, it's the first time he's had to withdraw from a tournament in 14 years.