Parry takes narrow advantage

Australian Craig Parry shot a five-under-par 67 to open a one-shot lead after the third round of the Doral Championship on Saturday.

A bogey at the par-four 17th hole was the Australian's only flaw as he finished 13-under 203 following a round that included six birdies at Doral's Blue Monster course.

He was a shot clear of Gene Sauers, who shot an eight-under 64, and Scott Verplank (65) at 12-under 204.

"As far as tomorrow's round, anyone within a few shots of the lead has a chance," Parry said, whose only PGA Tour success was at the WGC-NEC Invitational in 2002.

"I'm in good position... (if I) go out and play well tomorrow, I've got a chance to win it."

The par-four 18th hole could determine the outcome on Sunday. The signature 467-yard hole was lengthened by 24 yards last year and allowed just four birdies on Saturday and 22 through three rounds.

Starting at eight-under-par, Parry made three birdies in the first five holes to get to 11-under-par and eventually went out in three-under 33.

He then birdied holes 10 through 12 to reach six-under for the day. His lapse in the 17th was only his second bogey through 54 holes.

David Toms (65), South Korean K.J. Choi (66), Danny Ellis (67), Joe Durant (67), Chris DiMarco (67) and Phil Mickelson (69) were tied for fourth place at 11-under 205.

Second-round leader Retief Goosen shot a one-under 71 and is at 10-under 205 with German Alex Cejka (69).

Parry, who finished 165th on the money list last year, is on the cusp of winning for the second time since joining the PGA Tour in 1992.

"As for last year, that was last year," said Parry, who has 19 wins worldwide.

"We're getting ready to play tomorrow. There's so many guys that have missed cuts and then gone out and won the following week on Tour."

Having triumphed many times on the Australian Tour, Parry believed those wins prepared him for the usually windy conditions that was a feature at Doral during the first two rounds this week.

"I would prefer if the wind kicked back up," Parry said following Saturday's benign conditions.

"I think playing in Australia you definitely have an advantage playing the guy over here because we play in wind all the time."

Sauers, who has missed five previous cuts this season, turned in the tournament's best round, a bogey-free, eight-birdie 64 that featured seven birdies in an 11-hole stretch.

Verplank, searching for his first PGA Tour win since the 2001 Canadian Open, did most of his damage on the front nine, racking up six birdies en route to an outward 31.

Second-round leader Goosen struggled throughout Saturday, offsetting a pair of bogeys with two birdies until rolling in a 9-footer for birdie at the daunting 18th to salvage a 71.

Mickelson rolled in a birdie putt at the 18th for a 69 that got him back to within two strokes of the lead.

"That was a big birdie for me because I struggled throughout the course of the round and birdeying the last got me within two shots of the lead, which is much better than trying to come back from three or four," Mickelson said.

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