Snedeker takes Phoenix Open lead

Brandt Snedeker takes a one-shot lead into the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open after a third round 66.

On a day where the crowd numbers swelled to a raucous 121,000, Snedeker dropped one just one shot in his round which gave him a three-round total of 199 – 14 under par and a one shot advantage over Scott Piercy, who shot a 65.

A further shot behind are Rickie Fower, who shot 69 and Matt Every who went one better with a 68. Joint overnight leader Camilo Villegas is a further shot off the pace after an even par round of 71 left the Columbian 11-under par. However, Villegas required a pair of closing birdies to reach that mark after threatening to drop away.

A group of nine players, including veteran Mark Calcavecchia and Robert Allenby sit together at ten-under par. 43-year old Calcavecchia has won the Phoenix Open three times – in 1989, 1992 and 2001, with the last of his 13 PGA tour victories coming in 2007 in the PODS – now the Transitions Championship.

Snedeker, the 2007 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, will be hoping for a win to get his career back on track. The 29-year old American has a sole win to his name – the Wyndam Championship in his rookie year, and struggled with his form last year following a rib injury which kept him out for eight weeks. Snedeker’s poor form also saw him miss 12 cuts from the 26 tournaments he played.

Ian Poulter, bidding for back-to-back tournament wins following his WGC Accenture success carded a third round 70 to lie in a share for 23rd place at 8-under par while our pick for the tournament, JB Holmes, never got going in his third round and carded a level-par 71 to remain 5-under par. Sadly we won’t be collecting on him this week.

Holmes shares that mark with world number three Phil Mickelson, Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim and three others. Mickelson shot a one-over 72, while Kim – who was at the top end of the leaderboard stumbled to a 76.