Leonard eight clear in Memphis

Justin Leonard shot a four-under-par 66 to widen his lead to eight strokes after the third round of the St Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee.

Leonard is on 17 under at 193 and has the biggest 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour this year to be in line for his 10th career victory.

The former Open champion has played virtually flawless golf at the TPC at Southwind with 18 birdies and just one bogey.

He has an outside chance at both the below-par and event record of 26 under 258 set by John Cook in 1996, when this course was a par-72.

Cook won by seven strokes – also a tournament record.

Since 1970 on the Tour, 21 golfers have held a final-round lead of at least seven shots and all have won.

However, Sergio Garcia squandered a six-shot lead in the last round of the Wachovia Championship earlier this month.

Leonard’s second bogey-free round of the tournament was his worst – he birdied none of the par-fours but still added three shots to his lead.

Leonard, who won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in January, is trying to become the fifth multiple winner on Tour this year, joining Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and Kenny Perry.

Heath Slocum is barely within shouting distance at nine under 201 after a 67 and is one stroke clear of Tom Pernice Jr, who shot a 68.

Two-time defending champion David Toms is not going down without a fight.

His 65 matched the best round of the day and made him one of just a handful of players who made up ground on Leonard.

He is tied at seven under on 203 with Davis Love III (68) and Paul Goydos (70).