Bart Bryant moves three shots ahead

Bart Bryant blasted out of the sand and into a three-shot lead Saturday in the Tour Championship, holing a bunker shot for birdie on the 18th hole for a 4-under 66 and a cushion he didn't expect.

Bryant was clinging to a one-shot lead over defending champion Retief Goosen over the back nine at East Lake, with Tiger Woods closing fast with three birdies over his final five holes.

Everything changed so suddenly.

Goosen three-putted for bogey from about 45 feet on the 17th to fall two shots behind, and was in the same bunker to the right of the 18th green when he watched Bryant make it for an unlikely birdie.

``So far, it's been a lot of fun,'' Bryant said. ``There's been a couple of magic shots, for sure.''

His birdie from the bunker put him at 14-under 196 to break by one shot the 54-hole record at the Tour Championship, previously held by Tom Lehman at Southern Hills in 1996. Lehman went on to a six-shot victory that enabled him to win the PGA Tour money title.

Bryant still has plenty of work left.

Goosen blasted out to 4 feet and saved par for a 1-under 69, putting him at 11-under 199.

Woods worked out some kinks in his swing overnight and managed to make birdies on the par 5s for the first time this week -- ``Miracles do happen,'' he said -- and shot 67 to finish four shots behind at 10-under 200.

``I guess I've got the No. 1 ranked player in the world and the No. 4 ranked player in the world right on my tail,'' Bryant said. ``I know I'm going to have to go out and play good tomorrow. It's not going to be given to me.''

Goosen is trying to become the first back-to-back winner of this All-Star game for the top 30 players on the money list. Woods needs a victory to become the first PGA Tour player to break $11 million in one year.

It might be even more meaningful for the 41-year-old Bryant, who only last year captured his first PGA Tour victory in the Texas Open. He added the Memorial in June with a par on the 18th hole and now takes a three-shot lead into the final round against two of the toughest closers in golf.

``I hope to do really well,'' Bryant said.

After opening with a course-record 62, Bryant fell behind for the first time all week when Goosen birdied the first two holes, and Goosen opened up a two-shot lead with a 6-foot birdie on the par-3 sixth.

Bryant didn't realize he had a five-shot lead Friday, and he didn't realize he fell behind by two shots Saturday. All he knew at the end of the day was that he was the man to beat.

Tiger Woods reacts after missing a birdie putt on the 13th green during the third round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005. Woods is in third place, four shots behind leader Bart Bryant.
AP - Nov 5, 4:34 pm EST
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``I'm a little surprised in my mind,'' he said. ``I'm sure I'm a surprise in a lot of people's minds to be leading.''

Woods was not among them.

``This is a perfect setup for him, because the rough is high and fairways are fast, and he's not the longest driver, but he drives it straight,'' Woods said.

The only surprise was the margin.

Bryant fell back into a tie after failing to save par from a bunker on the 13th, then got it back with a 5-foot birdie on the 14th. He and Goosen traded shots until Bryant picked up two shots on the last two holes.

It could have gone the other way.

Bryant hit into the right bunker on the par-3 18th, and Goosen followed him in. The balls were so close that Goosen had to mark his ball so Bryant could hit.

One made birdie, the other made par.

Bryant has been so dominant this week that his 54-hole score was four shots better than the previous record for East Lake, set by Woods and Vijay Singh in 2000. That was the year Mickelson rallied to win. A year ago, Goosen came from four shots behind to beat Woods and Jay Haas.

Goosen saving par meant he will be in the last group with Bryant for the third straight round, two guys who run on the quiet side. As far as Bryant is concerned, that's about all they have in common.

``We had our three conversations, so we're kind of out of stuff to talk about,'' he said with a laugh. ``I like playing with him. I hope I can say this and not be taken wrong, but I don't think he's really at the top of his game, and it's amazing to see what he's done. That's the mark of a great champion to do what he's been doing.''

Scott Verplank overcame four bogeys for a 69 and was at 8-under 202, while Davis Love III birdied the first four holes on the back nine and shot 65 to finish at 204.

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