JB Holmes takes narrow advantage

The tour rookie with the booming drive shot a 6-under 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead in the FBR Open, while a raucous record crowd of 168,337 partied around him.

The 23-year-old Kentuckian was at 16-under 197 through 54 holes. Second-round leader J.J. Henry (70) and Ryan Palmer (64) were one back at 15 under.

Justin Leonard shot a 65 and David Toms had a 66 to reach 13 under, and Colombian Camilo Villegas (66), a hit with the crowd in neon green-yellow pants, was another stroke back along with Dean Wilson (66).

The low scores in calm weather with the temperature near 80 degrees set up a probable shootout in the final round on Sunday.

"When the weather is this good here, you've got to make some birdies to keep the pace out there," Leonard said. "I don't think it's a surprise at the scores and how low they are."

If he holds on, Holmes would be the event's youngest winner since Jerry Pate in 1977.

The stocky, muscular rookie, who finished first in the 2005 PGA Tour qualifying tournament, had seven tee shots that traveled at least 338 yards on fairways hardened by a record 108 days without rain. But his drives are a given. It was his short game that came through.

"I've got the putter working," he said, "and if you get the putter working, you can make some birdies."

Holmes, who started playing with his high school team in Campbellsville, Ky., as a third-grader, had never competed in front of the kind of mobs that roamed the 7,216-yard course Saturday.

"It's a lot of fun," he said. "As soon as you hit a shot, you've got everybody yelling. It's just a phenomenal experience."

Count Henry among those impressed by the young leader.

"The first time I've really seen him," Henry said, "tremendous talent, hits the ball forever."

Henry started the day at 14-under, four strokes ahead of Holmes, after shooting a 10-under 61 on Friday but was just 1-under 70 for the day. His string of 41 holes without a bogey ended on the par-4, 436-yard sixth hole.

Holmes, who tied for 10th at this year's Sony Open, moved into a tie for the lead when Henry bogeyed the par-4 ninth, then took the lead with a birdie on the par-4, 403-yard 10th hole.

Holmes drove 341 yards to just in front of the green, pitched it to 6 feet from the pin, then made the putt to go to 14-under. He birdied the 13th and 14th, then finished his round with four pars.

Rory Sabbatini, starting on the back nine, shot a 7-under 64 and was seven shots back at 11-under 202. Defending champion Phil Mickelson shot a 1-under 70 and was eight back at 8-under 205.

"I'm quite a ways back," he said. "But if a really low round is out there, you never know what might happen."

The attendance broke last year's record of 165,168 in an event that, by far, draws the largest crowds on the PGA tour.

However, as Henry pointed out, "maybe only 50 of them really knew a golf tournament was going on."

The wild atmosphere reaches its crescendo on the par-3 16th, where 10,000 to 12,000 fans surround the hole like a football stadium. The golfers enter through a tunnel to cheers, with fans sometimes singing the golfer's school fight song. Some chanted "Taylor County" when Holmes teed off. That's his home county in Kentucky.

They boo the bad shots, too, a taboo in virtually every other golf event.

"Man, walking into that stadium, it's the hardest wedge or 9-iron you can hit," said Palmer, who birdied the hole, "because you know if you don't hit it good, they're going to boo you."