Wilkinson looking to ride the wind to a historic victory

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Tim Wilkinson is looking to become the first left to win the Verizon Heritage in the event's 41-year history.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Tim Wilkinson grew up playing golf in blustery conditions. He learned to handle the breezes back home in Palmerstown North, New Zealand, where the gusts are strong and steady enough to help make wind farming a staple of the local industry.

Beating balls in the breeze helped him hone the ability to hit the lower, wind-tolerant shots, which he's used all week to join the contenders at the Verizon Heritage. And though the wind back home doesn't swirl like the breezes off Hilton Head's Calibogue Sound, Wilkinson seems ready to weather whatever conditions blow through for the final round.

"I grew up playing in the wind," Wilkinson said.

On Sunday afternoon, he'll learn whether he can handle the pressure of being in the final group as well as the breeze. After shooting a 6-under 65 on Saturday at Harbour Town, leaving him at 10-under 203, Wilkinson will have 18 holes to catch leader Brian Gay, who shot 67 and leads by three strokes.

Wilkinson got a sample of life as a leader in 2008 when he was paired with K.J. Choi in the final round at the Sony Open. Choi closed with a 71 and won the tournament, Wilkinson shot a 78 and tied for 25th.

"Just watching one of the best players in the world win a tournament in tough conditions and it looked like he was just focusing on his own game," Wilkinson said. "That's what I'm going to try to do."

His focus was sharp on Saturday when Wilkinson had six birdies and no bogeys. Using a new driver with a different shaft that the TaylorMade technicians created earlier this week, Wilkinson missed only one fairway. And even when he didn't hit the green, Wilkinson missed in the right spots and was able to get up and down for par.

His best trick might have come on the first hole. He pulled his tee shot, but it hit a tree and bounced into the fairway. Wilkinson recovered from there for a par and picked up momentum with a birdie at No. 2. He closed the front nine with four consecutive birdies.

Wilkinson made only one birdie on the back nine, where he made a three-footer at No. 16, then almost chipped in from the front of the green for an improbable birdie at No. 18.

"Sometimes your rounds start off slow and you make unexpected birdies on holes that you wouldn't think that you would," Wilkinson said. "This week, most of the time, I've birdied holes that I feel I should have birdied. So it's always a sign that things are going well."

Wilkinson began his professional career on the Australasian Tour before earning a fulltime spot on the Nationwide Tour in 2005. He spent three seasons there and snagged an exemption on the 2008 PGA TOUR by finishing 14th at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.

Wilkinson played well as a rookie, making 17 cuts in 29 starts and placing 92nd on the money list. He was second at the Valero Texas Open and third at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

He'll start Sunday's final round paired with Gay, who got his first PGA TOUR victory last season. Former major championship winners are right behind him, names like Todd Hamilton, Lee Janzen, Davis Love III and Tom Lehman. But Wilkinson said his goal is to focus on his own situation.

"You just trying to control what you're doing," he said. "Obviously if they play really well you can't do anything about it. I think if I just focus on my game and hit shots, it sounds simple, but that's what you try to do out there."

Wilkinson will attempt to become the first left-handed winner in the tournament's 41-year history. He would also be the first New Zealander to win the tournament.