Scott Brown sank a go-ahead birdie putt and took a one-stroke lead with partner Kevin Kisner in the third round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Saturday.
The birdie, Brown’s first since the fourth hole, left the 2017 runners-up with a four-ball (best ball) score of eight-under par 64 to go to 20-under for the tournament at 196.
Kisner had carried the day until then with seven birdies as the pair overcame two bogeys on the back nine at TPC Louisiana.
Overnight leaders Michael Kim and Andrew Putnam combined for a 66 to share second place at 197 with Tony Finau and Daniel Summerhays, who shot 63 for the round.
Brice Garnett and Chesson Hadley, after an 11-under 61, were another stroke back at 198 with three teams deadlocked at 199.
Meanwhile Shane Lowry and Pádraig Harrington were propping up the leaderboard, after their 68 left them on 10 under par for the tournament.
Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter are six strokes off the lead after they combined for a 66 on Saturday, while Seamus Power and Canadian partner David Hearn are 12 under par after a third round 66.
Zurich Open collated scores:
196 Kisner/Brown 62 70 64
197 Finau/Summerhays 62 72 63, Kim/Putnam 62 69 66
198 Garnett/Hadley 64 73 61
199 Horschel/Piercy 65 73 61, Dufner/Perez 66 72 61, Merritt/de Jonge 62 75 62
200 Knox/Laird (Sco) 64 73 63, Paisley/Fleetwood (Gbr) 62 75 63 Schwartzel/Oosthuizen (Rsa) 66 72 62,Goosen/Van Aswegen (Rsa) 65 71 64, Henry/Hoge 62 73 65, Duncan/Schenk 64 72 64
201 McCarthy/Dahmen 68 71 62, Lashley/Oppenheim 64 69 68, Steele/Lovemark 64 71 66, Johnson/Byrd 66 70 65, Rose/Stenson (Eng) 65 71 65
202 Kim/Yun (Kor) 66 69 67, Reavie/Glover 60 75 67, Reed/Cantlay 65 71 66, McDowell/Poulter (Gbr) 65 71 66, Hoffman/Watney 65 72 65
203 Watson/Kuchar 68 67 68, Walker/O'Hair 64 73 66, Campbell/Jones 63 70 70. Chalmers/Percy (Aus) 66 72 65, Gribble/Peterson 66 68 69
204 Power/Hearn (Irl) 66 72 66, Cejka/Crane (Ger) 64 74 66, Werenski/Lindheim 64 71 69, Kang/Huh (Kor) 66 73 65
205 Randolph/Mullinax 65 73 67, Day/Ruffels (Aus) 64 74 67, Stroud/Stuard 68 71 66
206 Lowry/Harrington (Irl) 63 75 68
Cut to take place at end of Round 2 for scores of no more than 139
