Round 3 Notebook: Viking Classic

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With more than 78 players (79) making the 36-hole cut, a secondary cut was made following the third round, with 70 players advancing to the final round.

Bill Haas moved out of a share of the 36-hole lead with Brendon de Jonge and into solo possession of the third-round lead at 15-under 201. He carded a 3-under 69 on Saturday to move four strokes ahead of Michael Allen (70), Nathan Green (70) and de Jonge (73).

Bill Haas
This represents Bill Haas' first third-round lead/co-lead on TOUR in 163 career starts. His previous-best position through 54 holes was 2nd at the 2007 Viking Classic (T3) and T2 at the 2008 St. Jude Classic (T18).

Haas played the first two rounds without a bogey, but carded bogeys on Nos. 1, 10 and 16 on Saturday, as well as a double bogey on the par-3 12th hole. He countered with birdies on Nos. 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 14, 15 and 18.

Bill Haas is looking to win his second TOUR event in his 163rd start. His father Jay won his second TOUR event in his 142nd start on TOUR. The elder Haas never played in the Viking Classic.

Bill Haas finished one spot out of making the 30-man field for THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. Haas, at No. 40 on the money list, is seeking his second win of the season (Bob Hope Classic).

Haas is no stranger to success at Annandale GC. In his two starts here, he finished T3 in 2007 with rounds of 68-67-70-72 and T4 in 2008 with rounds of 69-69-66-68. He is now a collective 42 under in 11 rounds at Annandale GC, all at par-or-better.

Haas is 10 under on 12 par-5 holes through the first three rounds.

Nathan Green
Nathan Green (T2) finished T25 in 2008 in his only previous start at the Viking Classic.

In 23 previous starts in 2010, Green has managed just one top-10 finish -- a T8 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He is currently ranked outside of the top 125 on the official money list (No. 136), but is still guaranteed full status on the 2011 PGA TOUR thanks to his win at the 2009 RBC Canadian Open.

Michael Allen
Michael Allen (T2) is making his first start on the PGA TOUR since July at the John Deere Classic. His only top-10 this season came at the Farmers Insurance Open (T5). The Viking Classic is his 14th start on TOUR, while he has 12 starts on the Champions Tour and five top-10s.

Michael Allen is making his ninth start at the Viking Classic with five made cuts. His best finish came in his first start in Mississippi in 1991 (T25).

Brendon de Jonge (T2) is making his TOUR leading 30th start of the season this week.

With six top-10 finishes this season (T11 on TOUR), Brendon de Jonge enters the Viking Classic ranked No. 36 on the money list. He has only missed one cut in his last 14 starts on TOUR.

Jason Bohn
Jason Bohn jumped into the mix on Saturday with a 5-under 67, moving from T13 to solo fifth. He is making his third start at the Viking Classic (T34--2004, T50--2006).

Bohn is currently No. 37 on the official money list, capturing his second TOUR win earlier this year at the Zurich Classic.

The top 30 on the season-ending PGA TOUR Official Money List earn several perks, including invitations to the Masters and U.S. Open. The top 125 on the season-ending Money List earn their card for 2011.

The Viking Classic has not had a first-time winner since D.J. Trahan in 2006. Players currently within six shots of the lead without a victory on TOUR include: Brendon de Jonge (T2), Michael Allen (T2), Brendon de Jonge (T2), Tom Gillis (T6), Chris Stroud (T6).

The third-round leader/co-leader has gone on to win just 16 of 40 stroke-play events on TOUR this year, most recently by Jim Furyk at THE TOUR Championship.

Bogey-free rounds:
Round 1: 66 -- Bill Haas, Bill Lunde; 67 -- Jeff Quinney, Nathan Green; 68 -- Craig Barlow; 69 -- Tom Pernice Jr.

Round 2: 65 -- Roland Thatcher; 66 -- Brendon de Jonge, Bill Haas; 67 -- Rocco Mediate; 68 -- John Senden; 69 -- Steve Elkington, Michael Connell; 71 -- Chris Tidland

Round 3: 67 -- Jason Bohn, D.J. Trahan, Paul Stankowski; 69 -- Chris Stroud, Brian Stuard