Curtis: Four birdies in six holes
Leaderboard:
-2 B Curtis (US)
-1 H Stenson (Swe)
-1 JB Holmes (US)
+1 S Garcia (Spa)
+1 P Harrington (Ire)
+1 C Wi (US)
Also see
American Ben Curtis takes a one stroke lead into the final round of the USPGA Championship on a frantic Sunday at Oakland Hills.
The former Open champion shot a 68 to lead by one at two under par and will play with closest pursuers Henrik Stenson and JB Holmes in the final three-ball as officials bid to finish the tournament on Sunday.
The trio are the only players under par after three rounds with Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia and Charlie Wi two shots further back.
Four groups had still to tee off in round three when thunderstorms curtailed play on Saturday, meaning a gruelling 36-hole marathon for half a dozen of those in contention on Sunday.
Harrington's was the round of the day and almost matched Andres Romero's 65 on Saturday as he charged through the field with some dazzling shot-making.
The Open champion was in danger of slipping right out of contention at six over par but he birdied the sixth and picked up another shot at the par-three ninth to be out in 34.
In contention
He appeared to miss an opportunity at the par-five 12th but remarkably he holed birdie putts at each of the next four holes to reach level par for the tournament.
A bogey at the last was disappointing for the Irishman but his charge puts him bang in contention for successive Major victories.
"Bogeyed the last," he reflected. "Good tee shot and good second shot which I thought was going to give me a good birdie chance and I messed up the bunker shot. Little disappointed as I had a good birdie chance on the 17th and chances on 10, 11 and 12.
"It was a slow start to the second part of my round but the four birdies in the middle got it going and I holed some putts in that run which was nice to see happening and get some feeling on the greens.
"I am four behind at the moment and I would take that as long as there are not 20 guys between me and three under. You don't know what is going to happen in the afternoon.
"I caught six up in the Open in 2007 and as long as there are not too many bodies ahead of you, you can make up quite a big amount in the last round of a major."
Garcia, who had completed just one hole when the sirens went on Saturday afternoon, was out in 33 after birdies at the second and sixth, but a dropped shot at the 10th saw him fall back into red numbers for the week.
The Spaniard matched two birdies with two further bogeys to finish with 69, putting him in the early clubhouse lead alongside his fellow Ryder Cup team-mate.
Sweden's Stenson recovered well from a disappointing end to his second round, picking up two birdies in the first five holes on Sunday morning, and another at the long 12th saw him reach two under, one behind Curtis at that stage.
He dropped successive shots at 15 and 16 but a rare birdie at the last puts him in great shape for the afternoon, one off the lead.
Flying start
Overnight leader Holmes was soon caught and passed by Curtis's flying start, but an eagle at the second saw him join his compatriot at the top on three under par.
Curtis picked up shots at four of the first six holes, with a bogey at the third, but another dropped shot at the eighth saw him slip back as Holmes simultaneously gave one back at the seventh.
Curtis got his shot back at the 11th and although he dropped his first bogey of the week on the back nine at the closing hole, his total was enough to lead as Holmes dropped two coming home.
England's Justin Rose found himself right in the thick of it early on, birdies at the two par threes seeing him to the turn in 34 two shots out of the lead.
But a calamitous seven at the par four 11th unhinged him and although he got a shot back at the next, three more shots went at the 15th and 16th as he came home in 40 and out of contention at four over.
He is on the same mark as Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, who disappointingly dropped two shots as he returned to complete his round, and Phil Mickelson, who couldn't get his round going after bogeys at 10 and 11, parring the last seven holes.
Ian Poulter slipped right out of contention with four bogeys in the final seven holes, but needs to gather himself with vital Ryder Cup points at stake - a similar comment that applies to fellow Englishman Paul Casey, who is also at eight-over after a round of 72.
