Slocum vaults into lead with 64

Heath Slocum is in unfamiliar territory.

Slocum fired an 8-under-par 64 Saturday and has a one-shot lead after the third round at the watered-down Tucson Open.

Entering the day four shots behind second-round leader Brandel Chamblee, Slocum was flawless Saturday, carding a bogey-free round that included six birdies and an eagle.

Slocum moved to 16-under 200 for the tournament and holds a one-shot lead over Chamblee and 1994 winner Andrew Magee. Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain is two shots back.

In his second year on the PGA Tour after a successful run on the Buy.com Tour, the 28-year-old Slocum's previous best finish was a tie for 31st at the Bob Hope Classic earlier this year. He won three tournaments on the Buy.com Tour.

"I feel great. I think I've got myself in good position for Sunday," Slocum said. "I feel like you play a good round on Sunday and you're going to have to make someone beat you, so I'm looking forward to it."

With the world's top 64 players entered in the Match Play Championship, the Tucson Open has been left with a depleted field.

Slocum, who missed the cut in four of his previous five events this year, came out firing Saturday when he eagled the par-5 second hole. He reached the green on the 495-yard hole by hitting a 2-iron and made a 15-foot putt.

Slocum was on a tear on front nine, adding birdies at Nos. 3, 6, and 8. But it was his mettle down the stretch that proved to be crucial.

After birdying the par-4 13th hole, Slocum sank a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 16 to tie Chamblee and a six-footer on the next hole for another birdie to grab the lead.

On the par-4 18th hole, Slocum two-putted from 60 feet to keep the lead.

"I really felt comfortable with the beginning of the year," Slocum said. "I just think my game just wasn't there. I have had bits and pieces of it, but overall, my putting hasn't been good the whole year. This seems to be the first tournament where my putter got hot at times and been real solid so that's a good thing."

Chamblee entered the day with a two-shot lead -- his first after the second round of a tournament since the 1999 Sony Open, when he finished 48th. His only win came at the Greater Vancouver Open in 1998.

After playing a pair of bogey-free rounds, Chamblee picked up where he left off Saturday with four birdies and eight pars through the first 12 holes.

But on the 13th, Chamblee ran into trouble when his shot from the bunker ran past the hole. He two-putted for his only bogey of the afternoon.

Chamblee had a chance to gain a share of the lead heading into the final round, but missed a 20-foot birdie try on 18.

"It was big, breaking right to left putt," Chamblee said. "I just hit it as good as I could hit it. I really thought it was going to go in and I would be tickled to death, but no such luck."

Chamblee is looking forward to the final round with Slocum.

"I don't know anything about Heath other than he played a (heck) of a round of golf today," Chamblee said. "I look forward to playing with him tomorrow. Gosh, it's always nice to be in the last group Sunday."

Magee put himself into position to win his second title here after carding a bogey-free 65. His seventh birdie came on the final hole.

The Omni Tucson National is a par-72 course measuring 7,109 yards. First prize is $540,000.

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