Spain's Sergio Garcia moved two shots clear with a round to play at The Barclays in Farmingdale as he chased back-to-back titles on the US PGA Tour.
The 32 year old won last week's Wyndham Championships to book himself in for Ryder Cup duty at Medinah next month.
And he has carried momentum from that success into this week, with a third sub 70 round giving him an outstanding chance tomorrow.
Garcia followed rounds of 66 and 68 with one of 69, which took him two ahead of halfway leader Nick Watney and three clear of Watney's fellow American Kevin Stadler whose six under par 65 was the lowest score of the day.
While Garcia led on ten under par 203, the immediate threat posed by Watney and Stadler may not prove the main obstacle over the closing 18 holes.
Fourth place was shared by Americans Brandt Snedeker and Bob Estes, after rounds of 68 and 72 respectively put them six under.
And further down the field there was the sight of a charging Phil Mickelson who was one of three - William McGirt and Tim Clark the others - to shoot 67 and jump from par to four under for a share of 10th place.
Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen both had rounds of three under 68 to join what was an eight-player bunch on four under. Tiger Woods was among them, but he had taken a wrong turn on moving day, a one over 72 containing four three-putts not what the former World Number One required.
Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald both nudged up to two under after posting rounds of 69, while Vijay Singh was alongside them on the same score after a 76 undid his fine efforts on Thursday and Friday.
