Chris Perry takes it one shot at a time, just like his dad.

Perry, whose father is former major league pitcher Jim and uncle is Hall-of-Famer Gaylord, was struggling with his confidence and his game after losing his PGA Tour card seven years ago.

"I remember having a few chats with my dad about a pitching situation and it was pretty much the same as it is in golf, kind of one pitch at a time," said Perry, who shot a 68 today for a one-stroke lead after three rounds at the MCI Classic.

Perry sees his caddie like a catcher -- "You guys have got to be on the same page," he said -- and tries to bring the same work habits to the course as his father did when arriving for spring training a week before everyone else.

It finally seems to have brought him the success his relatives have had on the pitching mound.

He was the Nike Tour's player of the year in 1996, won $460,984 on the PGA Tour in 1997 and earned his first PGA Tour victory at last year's B.C. Open.

"I guess everybody kind of goes through that if you play this game long enough," said Perry, whose 10-under total is one better than Payne Stewart and John Huston.

Perry took advantage as Stewart faltered at one of his favourite courses, Harbour Town Golf Links.

Stewart was at 12-under following a birdie on the par-3 seventh hole -- his 6-iron knocked off a tree and landed four feet away -- and led by four shots. But he made three bogeys the rest of the way.

Stewart shot a 64 on Friday to move in front and spoke about how he liked Harbour Town's thought-provoking fairways and finesse-filled greens. This time, he struggled through both for a 1-over 72 that tied him with Huston.

"It's amazing how often guys on tour shoot 7- or 8-under one day, next day they shoot above par. I don't know what it is, but it happens to everyone," said Lee Janzen, two shots back at 8-under after a 68.

Stewart knew he had lost an opportunity to all but close out his third Harbour Town victory.

"There's a lot of people, a lot of explosive people, in this golf tournament," he said. "There was a chance to have only a few in it."

Perry said he barely noticed Stewart's large lead and proved it by calmly rolling in birdies on Nos. 13, 15 and 17.

"I definitely want to know where I stand, but if I spend too much time on it, I'm not thinking about what I'm supposed to be doing out there," Perry said.

Huston, tied with Perry at 7-under to start the round, also sneaked up the leaderboard. He rolled in an 18-footer for birdie on the long par-4 18th hole to tie Stewart.

David Frost, who set the course record with a 61 five years ago, shot a 64 for the day's best score. It left him in a group tied three back at 7-under.

Former U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin was among seven players at 6-under, while Tiger Woods, despite a triple bogey-7 on No. 6, and Nick Faldo were in a group two more shots behind.

"There are a lot of people who can win this," Perry said.

Divots: Faldo fired a 67 today, his lowest round of 1999. With his opening 69, it marked Faldo's first tournament this year with two sub-70 rounds. A year ago, Faldo was last in the MCI, the first time that happened to him in a four-round event. ... Greg Norman and Davis Love III, battling for the Masters title until the final holes a week ago, teed off before 10 a.m. this time. Norman shot a 73 while Love, the defending champion, notched a 74. Love then withdrew, citing a sore back and hip from five straight weeks of golf. ... Woods had just made birdie and eagle on the fourth and fifth holes, respectively, to start a run at the leaders. But he drove the ball out of bounds on No. 6, then three-putted for a triple bogey. He finished with a 69 and was 4-under.