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By Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Nathan Green used to mow lawns and tend to the garden at the crematorium his grandparents owned to earn spending money while he was a struggling young golf pro.

Nathan Green used a scant 24 putts on Friday. (WireImage)

"It always seemed normal to me growing up in that environment," he said Friday with a shrug of his shoulders. "And it was working with a great bunch of guys, so it was big fun."

Green a chance to have a lot more fun -- and earn a lot more money -- this weekend at the TPC Sawgrass, though.

The young Aussie, who turns 32 on Sunday, enters the third round of THE PLAYERS Championship one stroke off the lead held by Phil Mickelson. Green fired a solid 69 on Saturday to move to 4 under in the race for the $1.62 million first prize.

Green said his mates thought he was a "pretty slack worker" back at the crematorium. But he's worked hard to put himself in position this week after starting the windswept first round 3 over through six holes.

"I putted really well the front nine (Thursday) to get it to 1 under and just today played pretty solid," he said. "I didn't really I didn't drive it well, but just managed to sort of scrap around and came out with a good round."

Friday's second round was similar, although Green managed four birdies while dropping just one stroke to par. He only hit six fairways, for the second day in a row, and reached just 9 of 18 greens in regulation.

"I thought with the better conditions (today) somebody might shoot ahead to 8 or 9 (under)," Green said. "It's such a tough course, whether the wind is blowing or not. You have a lot of tough holes and a lot of pins you can't really go at.

"So for me and I guess probably for the other guys it's trying to limit the big numbers, which you can have quite easy."

Eight clutch par saves Friday kept Green in contention for what would be the first win of his fledgling PGA TOUR career. The Aussie, who is midway through his second year on TOUR, knows he'll have to play better on the weekend to contend.

"From about the fifth or sixth hole I was struggling off the tee," Green said. "I didn't know which way the wind was going, and I sort of double crossed a few, and from there on it was a bit of a struggle.

Green averaged 275.5 yards a drive in Round 2. (WireImage)

"If I missed the fairways, I was trying to miss the green or hit it to an open side, and it sort of worked out. ... I got a lot of good breaks today and that's pretty much why I shot the score I did.

"I think I'll definitely have to hit a few more fairways and greens on the weekend to make it easier. Once they start tucking the pins right away, it's going to be pretty hard to play from the rough."

Green earned his way on TOUR when he finished 18th on the Nationwide Tour in 2005. He had a solid rookie season, losing in a three-man playoff to Tiger Woods at the Buick Invitational in his second start and earning more than $1.7 million.

The 2007 season has been a different story, though.

Green's best finish was a tie for 12th at the PODS Championship two months ago. He ranks 130th in total driving and 173rd in greens in regulation. His putter has kept the Aussie in the game -- he ranks seventh in putting and 11th in putts per round.

"Last year was definitely a big step up for myself, confidence wise to get off to that sort of start was a big help," Green said. "And I sort of pretty much continued to play well most of the year and wasn't able to win. I gave myself a lot of chances.

"Even back home in Australia over the summer I played pretty solid again. But this year, ... I don't know, I feel I've sort of taken a step back. I've struggled to get into contention and struggled to keep rounds going when I've got close to being in the mix.

"It's sort of been a tough year, but I'm working hard on the things I worked on last year. I sort of hoped to play well on a big week like this. It's worked out that way so far, and hopefully I can sort of keep going on with it on the weekend."

Green likes a course where par is valued, though, and THE PLAYERS Stadium is one of those. He may have struggled with his ball-striking, but his putter has come through -- he needed just 24 on Friday and ranks fifth with 51 for the week.

Green admits that he's not the most confident of players, but in an odd way, that may work in his favor this weekend at the TPC Sawgrass.

"Weeks when I am hitting the ball as great, I tend not to think as well," Green said. "And sort of weeks when I'm just a little bit off, I tend to grind it out a little bit more, I think a little more, and sort of play more around the course.

"And that's the way it was today. It sort of wasn't coming easy."