May opens up narrow lead

Bob May has been here before. That's exactly why he isn't ready to get excited over the chance to win his first PGA Tour title.

May shot a 2-under-par 69 in windy conditions today to take a one-stroke lead over Steve Pate and Notah Begay III after the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Classic.

But the memory of blowing a third-round lead last October in 40 mph winds in the Las Vegas Invitational remains fresh in his mind.

At a TPC at Southwind course where 61 is the course record, May said anyone can win the $540,000 check with a good round Sunday.

"The golf course is in perfect shape, and we've got perfect greens. If someone gets a hot putter, I wouldn't be surprised if someone went out and shot a 64 or 63,'' May said. "I can't worry about what's going to happen because I can't control their game. The only game I can control is my own.''

May, who went through the PGA Tour Qualifying School last year after spending three seasons on the European Tour, has as good a chance as anyone to win a tournament that the top money winners have avoided this week.

He has strung together three straight rounds in the 60s for the first time this year. He had six birdies and four bogeys today for a 12-under 201 total after opening with consecutive 66s.

Begay shot a 67 and Pate had a 70. Chris DiMarco (69) and Joe Ogilvie (70) followed at 203, and Australia's Craig Parry (69) and Russ Cochran (71) were at 204.

"Hopefully, I'll keep on playing the way I'm playing. I'm putting well and hitting the ball well. I just have to be patient and see what happens,'' said May, who has the fewest putts this week.

After playing in warm but near perfect conditions the first two days, the wind started gusting and caused plenty of trouble on the back nine where water lies along most of the holes on the TPC at Southwind course.

Pate was thankful tour officials used the forward tee on the par-3 11th, which features an island green similar to the famous 17th at TPC at Sawgrass. Begay said the wind forced people to play cautiously on the back nine.

"With the wind swirling as it is, it makes it even more difficult,'' he said.

May, whose best finish on the PGA Tour this year was a tie for 23rd last week in the U.S. Open, nearly blew his lead by bogeying the final two holes. But he had given himself enough of a cushion with his putter with five of his birdies through the first 14 holes.

He also was playing with his backup driver after noticing a crack in his favorite Ping driver after Friday's round. May said the different shafts bothered him some on today but that he didn't want to make a big deal of the switch.

Trouble with the putter early cost him birdies when he came up just short on Nos. 1, 2 and 4. When he finally started scoring with his first birdie on No. 5, he had lost the lead to DiMarco and Ogilvie. He fell two strokes back when he bogeyed No. 6, dropping to 10 under.

But May got going on No. 8 and birdied four of the next five holes. He hit his tee on the par-3 eighth within 2 feet of the hole, then sank a 25-footer on the par-4 ninth to make the turn at 12 under.

DiMarco and Ogilvie turned at 13-under, but neither could hold the lead. DiMarco bogeyed three straight holes, while Ogilvie hit into the water on the par-3 11th for a double bogey.

May didn't waste the opportunity. Hitting his irons well, he made birdie putts of 16 and 10 feet on Nos. 11 and 12 to grab a three-stroke lead at 14 under. He stumbled on the par-3 14th when he hit a 6-iron into the rough left of the green and bogeyed.

DIVOTS: David Howser, who got into the tournament with a sponsor exemption, tied the course record of 29 on the front nine. Jay Delsing (1995), the late Payne Stewart (1997), Emlyn Aubrey and Ted Tryba (1999) all had 29s. ... Loren Roberts, who has a house nearby, celebrated his 45th birthday with a 2-under 69. He is six strokes back. ... Begay's 67 gave him three straight rounds in the 60s for the first time this year.

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