Third-round notebook: CMN Classic

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• A total of 13 players are within three shots of the lead after 54 holes of the 2009 Children's Miracle Network Classic, the PGA TOUR's final event of the season. Last year, Scott Verplank and Steve Marino shared the 54-hole lead at 19-under 197. Here are the highest scores to lead this event in the 39-year history of the tournament:

• This marks the first time since 2003 that four players are tied for the 54-hole lead at the Children's Miracle Network Classic. It marks the second-most players tied for a 54-hole lead on the PGA TOUR this year. At this year's Shell Houston Open, six players were tied for the lead after play ended on Saturday.

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• In eight of the last nine years, the winner of the Children's Miracle Network Classic has posted four rounds in the 60s. When Stephen Ames won in 2007, he posted a 70 in the third round. Tiger Woods is the last player to win this event with a round above par. In 1999, Woods carded a final-round 73 but still nipped Ernie Els by a stroke at Walt Disney World.

• This marks Justin Leonard's 10th career third-round lead/co-lead and his first since the 2005 FedEx St. Judes Classic. Leonard has won five times in his previous nine third-round leads/co-leads, including the 2005 FedEx St. Jude Classic.

• Leonard finished T6 at the 2007 Children's Miracle Network Classic and missed the cut in his only other appearance at Disney in 2006. At this event, Leonard now has nine consecutive sub-par rounds, including four rounds in the 60s, two rounds at 70 and three rounds at 71. In 2007 at this event, Leonard's 54-hole score was 12-under 204.

• England's Justin Rose is searching for his first victory on the PGA TOUR in his 149th start. Rose has led or shared the lead heading into the final round three times, the last coming at the 2007 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

• In his PGA TOUR career, George McNeill has only led one other event after 54 holes. McNeill was five strokes in front of Robert Garrigus and D.J. Trahan at the 2007 Frys.com Open in Las Vegas and went on to finish four strokes better than Trahan.

• Mathias Gronberg, a winner earlier this year on the Nationwide Tour at the Melwood Prince George's County Open, has never held a 54-hole lead on the PGA TOUR until today. His previous high position after 54 holes is second at the 2007 Valero Texas Open.

• Through three rounds of the 2009 Children's Miracle Network Classic, Leonard has made the most birdies (20) while Carl Pettersson has made the fewest bogeys (2).

• McNeill came into this week's Children's Miracle Network Classic with four eagles all year. He made two within the first five holes on the back nine today, the 63rd time this year there's been a pair of eagles in a round on the PGA TOUR.

• Below are the round-by-round stroke averages for the Palm Course and the Magnolia Course this week:

• Rose has finished in the top 25 in each of his three previous appearances at Disney (4th-2006, T3-2005, T24-2004). He has now played 15 rounds at the Children's Miracle Network Classic without ever posting an above-par score. He has two rounds in the 70s (72 and 71) and 13 rounds in the 60s.

• The Children's Miracle Network Classic is the last chance for players to move into the top 125 on the money list and earn fully-exempt status on the PGA TOUR in 2010. With one official round left in the 2009 season, here's a look at the status of those closest to the top-125 cutline:

• In the previous 43 PGA TOUR events in 2009, a total of 23 third-round leaders/co-leaders have gone on to win, including two of the last three events played (Troy Matteson/Frys.com Open, Matt Kuchar/Turning Stone Resort Championship).

• Through three rounds, the par-4 5th hole at the Magnolia Course ranks as the hardest (4.263, nine total birdies). Traditionally, this 492-yard hole has ranked as the most challenging. From 1983-2008, the hole's cumulative stroke average has been 4.114.

• In the 38-year history of the Children's Miracle Network Classic, third-round leaders/co-leaders have gone on to win 21 times (55%). The last third-round leader/co-leader to go on and win was Stephen Ames in 2007.

• Webb Simpson (-2) withdrew before the start of his third round with a high fever.