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By Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondant

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The plan was to go social this weekend at home.

Kick back with his girlfriend, family and friends and be seen. At the racetrack.

Brandt Snedeker expected to be sitting at home this week. Instead he's in contention at THE PLAYERS. (WireImage)

The 66th running of the Iroqouis Steeplechase to be exact.

Instead, Brandt Snedeker had the good folks in Nashville tuning into NBC on the sly Saturday afternoon when he threw out a 4-under-par 68 and cruised up the leaderboard at THE PLAYERS Championship.

And he wasn't the only one. Ted Purdy threw out a 67 to join Snedeker in a crowd at 2-under 214. Both came out of nowhere to catch lightning in a bottle in the third round and not even a double-bogey each coming in could dim their smiles.

Purdy, who didn't cash a check for four straight weeks -- and four of six -- this spring doubled the 17th hole when his 9-iron hit right at the pin and one-hopped off the green and into the water.

And Snedeker? He found the rough at the 18th off the tee and with his second shot. He flat whiffed his third. "I cut right under it and whiffed,'' he said.

Take those doubles away at they'd have walked off three shots behind mid-round leader Jeff Quinney. But they were anything but upset.

Both Snedeker, who finished third at the Buick Invitational early this year, and Purdy, who tied for ninth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am, have gone from great starts to the season to wondering what was up. Snedeker's game is one of spurts, while Purdy questioned things.

"It was kind of the Craig Perks syndrome,'' Purdy said. "I was playing well enough to win or get in the hunt and I tried to change some things.''

Ted Purdy has struggled lately, but seems to be finding some magic at THE PLAYERS. (WireImage)

He worked on his backswing with Mark Winkley and, well, change doesn't always come quickly. "It's hard to trust changes sometimes,'' he said. "And I decided to trust them.''

He said the other reason for so many low scores Saturday are the greens. "We're getting used to them,'' he said. "We're reading them better -- there is grain on them -- and we're able to trust them.'''

Purdy turned in 32 and was cruising until 17. Then, he stiffed an 8-iron to 2 feet at the 18th to shoot 67

"It was still a great round,'' he said.

Snedeker was saying the same thing. He ran in a 24-footer for birdie at the eighth, then birdied nine to turn in 33. On the back, he picked up three more shots with birdies at 11, 12 and 15. Then came that double at 18.

"Everything clicked this week,'' he said. "I hit a lot of good shots. Other than 18, I played flawless.''

Which means he -- and Purdy -- are right there with a chance. Something Snedeker wouldn't have if he hadn't gotten into the field last Saturday.

Instead of playing for the $1.44 million, he'd be watching hanging in the boxes, sipping and watching horses races for a total of $415,000 in purses. No need to ask which one is better.