By Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.COM PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.
— As if watching a series of putts skirt the lip of the cup
and stay out wasn't bad enough, Steve Stricker had to deal with a
three-putt at the 17th and an oops in his swing at the 18th. Two
closing bogeys -- and bogeys at three of the last five holes. A 71.
And a share of fourth going into Sunday's final 18 holes. Stricker
is tied at 207 with Jason Dufner, Davis Love III, Aaron Baddeley,
Luke Donald and Nick Watney -- all of them three shots behind
third-round leader Graeme McDowell. "My goal today is to try to
stay even keel,'' Stricker said. "Try not to shoot myself in the
foot and be there with a chance going into the final nine holes.''
And the 18th. Stricker found the water on his approach -- "It
wasn't a good transition in my swing,'' he said -- and he scrambled
from there, making a 14-footer for bogey.