Johnson leads with record score

Kevin Johnson played his way to a two-under-par 70 to maintain a two-stroke lead after 54 holes of the Buy.com Permian Basin Open on Saturday. Johnson bogeyed the final hole to give himself a three-day total of 18-under-par 198, tying the tournament record.

Second place is held by the duo of Todd Barranger and Mark Hensby, who are at 16-under-par 200. Hensby is the leading money winner on the Buy.com Tour. Gene Sauers and Brian Wilson are at 14- under to share fourth place.

Ron Stelten, Briny Baird, Rocky Walcher and Guy Boros are five off the pace heading into Sunday's final round and the chase for the $72,000 first-place check.

"I played pretty solid today," said Johnson, who opened the event with back-to-back 64's. "Overall, I'm pretty pleased with it, I just didn't have as many opportunities to make birdie."

Johnson began the day with a four-stroke lead and when he birdied the fourth and fifth holes it looked like he might run away from the field. He had to settle for just two birdies the rest of the way, however.

Making the day's biggest move was Barranger, who started the day tied for 33rd and was just hoping to finish well enough to finish in the top-25.

Barranger's 62 Saturday included five consecutive birdies to close out the round and give him a share of the course record, set by Johnson in 1997 and tied by Boros on Friday.

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