The Daily Wrap-up, Round 3: FBR Open

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Kenny Perry shot a 5-under 66 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead going into the final round of the FBR Open.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- After erasing a four-stroke deficit in five holes, Kenny Perry wanted to be alone atop the FBR Open leaderboard.

RELATED LINKS

Leaderboard: Round 3 scores
Scorecard: Kenny Perry
The Live Report: Round 3
What a win would mean for Purdy
Player interviews
Notes: Tidbits from the course
Photos: Round 3
Aerial photos of No. 16
Sirius|XM Podcast: Round 3
Tee times: Round 4

VIDEO

Highlights: Round 3
Purdy birdies No. 16
PGA TOUR Today

All it took was a 33-foot putt on the 18th hole Saturday. When the putt dropped into the cup, it brought a roar from the massive TPC Scottsdale gallery and gave Perry a one-stroke lead over Scott Piercy through three rounds.

"Good time to make one," said Perry, who shot a 5-under 66.

Despite stumbling down the stretch, Piercy thought he had a one-stroke lead when he reached the clubhouse.

"They've still got to catch me right now," Piercy said after his 66.

Perry already had.

Perry erased a four-stroke deficit between the 13th and 17th holes. He birdied the 17th to catch Piercy and birdied the 18th to surge past him.

To read the remainder of this story, click here.

A WIN WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO PURDY
By Bill Huffman, Special to PGATOUR.COM

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- It's been 12 years since Tiger Woods rattled the cage at the TPC Scottsdale's infamous par-3 16th hole, where he recorded a hole-in-one now dubbed the "modern day shot heard 'round the world.''

Being a Phoenix kid who played golf for the University of Arizona, Ted Purdy is well aware of that storied piece of FBR Open history. That's why he got a little carried away during Saturday's third round of the tournament, when his sand wedge from 123 yards at the 16th just missed the cup for an ace.

"I wish it would have gone in,'' said Purdy, who waved an Arizona Cardinals banner from the tee there to the green, then tapped in from 9 inches as the crowd never stopped roaring.

That kick-in birdie helped move Purdy to three shots off the lead held by Kenny Perry going into Sunday's final round. Purdy stands at 9-under-par 204 following a 65, which tied Geoff Ogilvy for the day's best round.

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Saturday's Best

EASIEST HOLE TOUGHEST HOLE The par-5 13th hole was the easiest with a Saturday scoring average of 4.493. EAGLES: 3 BIRDIES: 34 PARS: 30 BOGEYS: 4 OTHERS: 0 The par-3 7th hole was the toughest with a Saturday scoring average of 3.268. EAGLES: 0 BIRDIES: 5 PARS: 42 BOGEYS: 24 OTHERS: 0

SHOT OF THE DAY ROUND OF THE DAY Ted Purdy hit his tee shot on No. 16 to 9 inches, setting up a tap-in birdie on the hole. Watch his shot Kenny Perry shot a 5-under 66 that included a birdie on the last to take a one-shot lead. Check out his scorecard

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"You know, I'd be lying to you if I didn't dream as a kid of winning this golf tournament and wanting to win this golf tournament. I got asked the same question in the media a couple days ago, and I said -- the question was, 'What would be your ideal year?' And I said 'The Phoenix Open backed up with a major.' -- Ted Purdy on what his goals are for this year.

INSIDE THE ROPES WITH THE PGA TOUR NETWORK
PGA TOUR Network correspondent Fred Albers offers these observations from Saturday's action. Listen to PGA TOUR Live coverage on XM 146/SIRIUS 209 or right here at PGATOUR.com.

Kevin Na was hot, his temper and game about to explode after back-to-back bogeys at the second and third holes threatened to end any hope on a Saturday afternoon at the FBR Open. So what happened? Caddy to the rescue. Kenny Harms took control of his player and started talking about anything other than golf. Na was able to relax and finish at 10-under par. Na will play in the final group on Sunday and is ready to write Harms a big fat check if he wins his first PGA TOUR event.

Every TOUR stop has special perks for the players, but the FBR Open has a nice touch in the locker room. A barber is there for the players use, giving straight razor shaves and trims free of charge. To sit in a barber's chair, with your face under a pile of hot towels followed by a shave is one of life's luxuries that is seldom seen anymore. Gratuities are accepted.

Kenny Perry took 31 putts and still managed to shoot 5-under 66 and lead the FBR Open at 12-under par. Thirty one putts is an inordinate amount for a tournament leader, however the high total can be explained by his ball striking. Perry hit 16 of 18 greens, but let many of his putts short until the 18th hole when his birdie just toppled into the cup.

What the top finishers said...

Player Position Score Comment Kenny Perry 1 12 under "You know, I was kind of disappointed on 16. I was expecting more. There were a lot of empty seats to the left of the tee box where all the kids usually sit. I guess they had gotten tired and left, they were done partied out." Scott Piercy T2 11 under "I don't feel like a rookie, but I am a rookie. A rookie with experience, maybe. Playing 20 events before getting status definitely helps. It kind of makes me see if I belong in my heart of hearts, seeing the guys out here for 20 different weeks. I think I belong." Kevin Na T2 11 under "When I first turned pro I wasn't sure, but it looks good to me now, yeah. But I mean, college would have been nice. That's definitely one part of my life that I'm going to miss, but I love what I'm doing and this is what I want to do. I won't change anything."

Read full interview transcripts

Kenny Perry Scott Piercy Kevin Na Full archive

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THIRD-ROUND NOTEBOOK: FBR OPEN
By Mark Stevens, PGA TOUR Staff

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Resumption of Round 2 began this morning at 8 a.m. with the group of Webb Simpson, Jarrod Lyle and amateur Rickie Fowler completing the 17th and 18th holes. Round 3 began at 9:10 a.m. with 71 players going off in threesomes on the first and 10th tees.

• Seating capacity at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Fla. for Super Bowl XLIII will be 72,500. Attendance Saturday at the FBR Open was 164,455. Last year, a total of 538,356 fans came through gates at TPC Scottsdale throughout the week.

• Kenny Perry sank a 32-foot, 11-inch putt for birdie on the 18th hole to finish alone atop the leaderboard at 12-under-par 201. He leads Scott Piercy, who is at 11 under, by one stroke. Kevin Na, Brian Gay and Charley Hoffman are tied for third at 10 under par. Perry shot a 5-under-par 66 in Round 3 with six birdies and one bogey.

• Perry is a 12-time winner on the PGA TOUR. Perry has led or held a share of the 54-hole lead 15 times in his career and converted eight times for a victory.

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