The Honda Classic: Third-Round Notebook

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- For the 11th time in his career, Mark Calcavecchia finds himself with at least a share of the 54-hole lead. Of those 10, he has parlayed seven into wins. He most recently achieved that feat at the 2007 PODS Championship in Tampa, where he defends next week.

Mark Calcavecchia has won seven PGA TOUR starts when leading after 54 holes. (Ferrey/WireImage)

Inside the Numbers

54-Hole Leaderboard

Player Score T1. Luke Donald 204 -6 T1. Mark Calcavecchia 204 -6 T1. Matt Jones 204 -6 T4. Jose Coceres 205 -5 T4. Brian Davis 205 -5 T6. Ben Crane 206 -4 T6. Dudley Hart 206 -4 T8. Cliff Kresge 207 -3 T8. Michael Letzig 207 -3 T8. Brett Quigley 207 -3 T8. Ernie Els 207 -3 T8. Robert Allenby 207 -3

• Calcavecchia has progressively improved in each round with regards to his accuracy from the fairway. He hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation Thursday, 14 of 18 Friday, and improved to 15 of 18 Saturday.

• As he did on Friday, Luke Donald posted another bogey-free round Saturday en-route to a 4-under-par 66.

• Donald is two for six when leading or co-leading after 54 holes. One of those two wins, however, came at the 2006 Honda Classic when he was tied with Billy Mayfair.

• The last time these two co-leaders played in the same group was in rounds one and two of the 2007 World Golf Championships-CA Championship.

• Since 1988, 11 of the past 20 third-round leaders/co-leaders have gone on to claim victory at The Honda Classic. They are Mark Wilson in 2007, Luke Donald in 2006, Todd Hamilton in 2004, Jesper Parnevik in 2001, Mark Calcavecchia in 1998, Stuart Appleby in 1997, Tim Herron in 1996, Mark O'Meara in 1995, Steve Pate in 1991, John Huston in 1990 and Joey Sindelar in 1988.

• For the past six years, winning for the first time at the Honda Classic has been the norm. In fact, four of the past six champions have made the Honda Classic their first PGA TOUR win: Mark Wilson in 2007, Padraig Harrington in 2005, Todd Hamilton in 2004 and Matt Kuchar in 2002.

• Playing on a Major Medical Extension, Ben Crane came into the 2008 PGA TOUR season with 18 events to earn $506,928 and receive Major Medical Extension status for the remainder of the 2008 season. Through just four events so far (not including the Honda Classic), Crane has amassed $353,429, leaving him in need of $153,499. Should he finish in a two-way tie for ninth or better, Crane will surpass the remaining balance.

• Playing as a Monday Qualifier, Michael Letzig has now posted three consecutive rounds of par or better to sit tied for eighth headed into Sunday's final round. Should he go on and win, he would be the first Monday qualifier to win a PGA TOUR tournament since Fred Wadsworth at the 1986 Southern Open.

• A familiar face was not in the field on the weekend. By missing the cut, defending champion Mark Wilson became just the third player since 1998 to not be around for the weekend. 2004 Honda Classic champion Todd Hamilton missed the cut in 2005, and 2001 Honda Classic champion Jesper Parnevik also failed to keep a spot in the weekend field in 2002.

• The last 54-hole tie for the lead came at the 2008 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am when Vijay Singh was tied with Dudley Hart.

• The scoring average for Saturday was 70.22. The par-4 sixth hole played as the toughest Saturday, playing to an average of 4.235. The easiest hole Saturday was the par-5 third hole with a scoring average of 4.675.