Ridings falls into share of 54-hole lead at Turning Stone with Howell.

10/5/2008

Tag Ridings stood over his ball at the final hole and gently tapped a short uphill putt for par.

When he pulled it and his ball stopped just shy of the cup, he found himself tied for the lead in the Turning Stone Championship.

Seeking his first PGA Tour win, Ridings wasn't dismayed as he pondered playing the final round in a twosome with Charles Howell III.

Ridings has missed 12 cuts this year, including six in a row, and entered Turning Stone winless in 130 PGA Tour starts.

Jeff Overton (73), who led both the first and second rounds by one shot, was tied for third at 7 under with Brian Davis (69), Jason Day (71) and Kyle Thompson (69).

Another shot behind were Dustin Johnson (70) and Robert Allenby (71), while Davis Love III (66), Charles Warren (67), and Mark Hensby (72) were tied at 5 under.

Because of two weather delays on Friday, 23 players failed to finish the second round and had to complete it Saturday morning. Love, coming back from an ankle injury suffered a year ago, then reeled off four straight birdies on the back nine to start the third round and move into contention, an early indication the 7,482-yard Atunyote Golf Club course might be playing easier because the weather wasn't quite so harsh. The players also were allowed to lift and clean their balls.

Ridings trailed Overton by one shot at the start of play and played the front nine to even par with a pair of birdies and two bogeys. He sank a 23-foot birdie putt to reach 8 under at the par-3 11th hole and gained a two-shot lead with a 16-foot birdie putt at No. 15 as the sun broke through and the temperature rose into the mid-50s.

The first two days were plagued by temperatures in the 40s, 20 mph wind, rain, and even a brief shower of hail that caused one of two delays Friday.

The fickle conditions continued Saturday. Although there was just a slight breeze and the sun was in and out of the overhanging clouds, a misting rain again began falling while the lead threesome was playing the front nine and the temperature hovered around 50, forcing the players to again wear layers and fight to keep warm and loose.

Leaderboard – Round 3:

1. Tad Ridings                      USA  69 68 71 208 - 8
    Charles Howell III             USA  71 68 69 208 - 8
3. Jeff Overton                      USA  67 69 73 209 - 7
    Brian Davis                       ENG  71 69 69 209 - 7
    Jason Day                        AUS  69 69 71 209 - 7
    Kyle Thompson                 USA  71 69 69 209 - 7
7. Dustin Johnson                 USA  72 68 70 210 - 6
    Robert Allenby                  AUS  71 68 71 210 - 6
9. Davis Love III                   USA  75 70 66 210 - 6
    Charles Warren                 USA  73 71 67 210 - 6
    Mark Hensby                    AUS  70 69 72 210 - 6

Source: AP, PGA Tour