On a wild day for everyone around him, Tom Pernice Jr. kept it steady and simple Saturday for a 1-under 69 in the AT&T National that gave him a one-shot lead and a chance to win for the first time in seven years.

Pernice seized the lead, but not control, with a 7-iron that stopped just inside 3 feet at the 17th for only his second birdie on a steamy, calm afternoon that yielded plenty of low scores at Bethesda, Md.

He was at 10-under 200 and was one shot ahead of Steve Stricker, the runner-up a year ago, who had a 66.

Pernice only missed three greens, but he didn't take advantage of plenty of good birdie opportunities. The longest putt he made all day was from 7 feet at No. 8, one of his two birdies.

But instead of getting frustrated, Pernice looked at the big picture.

"I gave myself chances," he said. "And going forward, that's what you need to do."

Stricker was among four players who had at least a share of the lead throughout the third round, but he hit a 7-iron over the 17th green and caught the lip with a 12-foot par putt from the fringe.

Coming off a two-week break to recharge, Stricker still isn't confident with where his tee shots are going. Oddly enough, the two bogeys he made came from the middle of the fairway, including a wedge on the par-5 ninth that went just over the green.

"Overall, it's two good, solid rounds that got me into a position with a chance for tomorrow," Stricker said.

They are not alone, with 10 players separated by four shots.

Jeff Overton, tied with Pernice to start the third round, was fortunate to still have a chance. His struggles began with a tee shot into the bunker on the par-3 10th hole to take bogey, then seemingly fell apart with consecutive double bogeys that left him four shots behind.

Overton rallied with birdies on his next two holes and salvaged a 71, leaving him at 8-under 202 with Tommy Armour III (66) and Nick O'Hern (67), the left-handed Aussie best known for twice beating Tiger Woods in match play.

The wildest day belonged to 23-year-old Anthony Kim, an explosive player who saw both sides of that. Kim went six holes without a par in the middle of his round -- three bogeys, three birdies -- before a birdie on the 18th hole for a 69.

He was at 203, along with Tim Herron (65) and Cliff Kresge (69).

Pernice last won in 2001 at the International, the tournament that the AT&T National replaced last year. He has had at least a share of the 54-hole lead each of the last three years without winning, including a 75 in the final round at the Buick Open a year ago.

It took eight holes for Pernice to make his first birdie, spinning a wedge back 7 feet below the hole. He was solid the rest of the way with everything but the most important club in the bag -- his putter -- but allowed him the one chance he needed to take the lead because of all the activity around him.

"The course is playing a touch easier than last year, and I think that's reflected in the scores," Stricker said. "There's a lot more guys with the opportunity to win. You're going to have to shoot a good round."

ALSO SATURDAY

DICK'S SPORTING GOODS OPEN: Argentina's Eduardo Romero shot his second straight 7-under 65 to take a one-shot lead over Fulton Allem and crowd favorite Joey Sindelar in the Champions Tour event at Endicott, N.Y.

Romero, who began the day two shots behind first-round leader Joe Ozaki, had 16 birdies and one double bogey over the two rounds and was at 14-under 130. Allem and Sindelar shot 65s. Ozaki (70) was fourth at 11 under.

EUROPEAN OPEN: England's Ross Fisher shot a 3-under 69 to take a three-stroke lead over Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell at Ash, England.

Fisher had a 16-under 200 total on the The London Golf Club's Heritage Course. McDowell shot a 71. South Africa's David Frost (69) was 10 under.