Phil Mickelson staged an inspired charge to grab the BMW championship spotlight and a share of the third-round lead with a faltering Vijay Singh on Saturday.
With Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy hogging the headlines through the opening two rounds, it was Mickelson's turn to take centre stage, marching to a career high with 10 birdies in an eight-under 64 to join Singh on 16-under.
"I got it going with the putter," Mickelson said. "I played really well and had a lot of good opportunities."
Singh, chasing his first PGA Tour win in four years along with a ticket to the season-ending Tour Championship, had grimly held on to top spot alone for much of the day but wobbled badly coming home.
The big Fijian, who needs to finish fourth or better today to clinch a FedExCup berth, mixed two birdies with three bogeys over his final five holes, including one at the last, to settle for a three-under 69.
"I've got a good chance to do it," said Singh, who has 34 career PGA Tour wins but has not been in the winner's circle since 2008. "Today's round could have really gotten away from me but I really dug deep."
Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., dropped eight shots back with a 2-over 74. DeLaet had a double-bogey on 14, and recovered with an eagle on the 15th.
David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., bogeyed three of the four par-5s while finishing with a 5-over 77, and is 16 shots off the pace.
With only 30 of the 70 golfers teeing off at Crooked Stick Golf Club this week able to qualify for the Sept. 20-23 Tour Championship and a shot at the $10-million bonus, there was no shortage of players making big moves.
Briton Lee Westwood, who has never qualified for the Tour Championship, helped his chances with a four-under 68 to enter today's final round alongside world No. 1 McIlroy (69), one stroke adrift of the leaders.
Australian Adam Scott (66) and Americans Robert Garrigus (66) and Dustin Johnson (67) sit two off the pace at 14-under with Woods lurking one shot further back after grinding his way to a one-under 71.
The start of play was delayed several hours as course workers laboured to get the layout playable after an overnight storm dumped almost seven centimetres of rain on Crooked Stick.
With the ultra-soft conditions and golfers able to lift, clean and place their balls, players attacked the pins with gusto and were on the move right from their opening shots.
But as Mickelson surged, Woods faltered.
Four bogeys over his opening eight holes sent him diving down the leaderboard before he halted the slide by chipping in front of the fringe for a birdie on the ninth. He picked up shots at 10 and 11 to get back to level par on the day.
