Kuchar and Piercy share Turning Stone lead

Matt Kuchar and Scott Piercy are tied atop the leaderboard Saturday after the third round of the Turning Stone Resort Championship.

Kuchar posted a five-under 67, while Piercy had a 66 in round three. The pair finished 54 holes at 14-under 202 and is one ahead at Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone Resort.

Rod Pampling (65) and tour rookie Leif Olson (68) share third place at minus-13, which is one better than Nicholas Thompson, who had a three-under 69 on Saturday.

Second-round leader Vaughn Taylor managed a one-under 71 and is tied for sixth place with Jonathan Byrd (67), Tim Petrovic (68) and Fredrik Jacobson (69) at 11-under 205.

Saturday's third round brought the best conditions so far this week. Due to heavy overnight rain, the players competed in lift, clean and place and players went flag hunting.

"Today, with these conditions, you could attack every pin," said Kuchar. "Even if you short-sided yourself, you could place the ball in the rough, have a beautiful lie and have a pretty good chip for birdie."

Kuchar birdied his second hole on Saturday, then collected his next birdie after a three-foot birdie putt at the par-three sixth. He sank a six-foot birdie putt at eight to make the turn near the top of the leaderboard.

At the 10th, Kuchar rolled in a 25-foot birdie to move into the lead at 13- under par. Piercy joined him atop the leaderboard, but Kuchar converted a six- foot birdie effort at 12 to reach 14-under par.

Kuchar had a decent look at birdie from eight feet at 14, but missed. He holed a tough seven-foot par save at the 17th to stay in first with Piercy, who birdied 15.

On the par-five closing hole, Kuchar laid up with his second shot. He knocked his third to nine feet, but his birdie chance for sole possession of the lead slid by on the right side.

He made his par and will be in search of his second tour win. Kuchar, who won in 2002, is 59th on the money list and secured his card for next year. When most in the Fall Series are battling for PGA Tour privileges in 2010, Kuchar has a different goal.

"There is a major goal in mind and that is to make the field for the Masters next year," said Kuchar, who needs to get into the top 30 on the final money list for an invitation to Augusta next spring.

Piercy, a tour rookie, is 91st on the money list and will be coming back on tour next year. On Saturday, he parred his first four holes and broke into red figures for the first time at the par-five fifth.

He used a great run around the turn to earn his piece of first. He birdied the eighth and ninth holes, then made it three in a row thanks to a four-footer at the 10th that tied him for the lead.

Piercy cashed in on a six-foot birdie opportunity at the par-five 12th. Kuchar went past him on the leaderboard, but Piercy got back into the tie with a 50- foot bomb at the par-four 15th.

Piercy reached the final green in two, but squandered his chance for the outright lead with a three-putt par.

He will be going for his first PGA Tour win on Sunday and can become the first rookie to win this season. Piercy had two top-six finishes in his first six events this year, but hasn't finished better than a tie for 22nd since.

"I've been hitting the ball well for about the last six or eight weeks, but the scores aren't showing," acknowledged Piercy, who has only one bogey this week. "I usually make enough birdies and if I can eliminate the bogeys, I should have a pretty good chance."

Defending champion Dustin Johnson shot a three-under 69 and is tied for 15th at minus-eight.

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