Austin takes slim lead

Overnight leader Mark Wilson bogeyed his final two holes, opening the door for Woody Austin to take a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Valero Texas Open.

Wilson was at six under par before he finally wilted down the stretch, closing with a pair of bogeys and dropping into a tie for second with Robert Gamez and Dean Wilson.

Austin started slowly with three bogeys on the front nine but played his final five holes in four under to get to 13-under 197.

An eagle at the par-five 14th was set up by an approach from 203 yards that stopped two feet from the cup. Austin followed with a birdie at the 16th and another on the 18th to complete a three-under 67 and grab the first 54-hole lead of his career.

“It’s all new, but it’s all new in a good way, so there is nothing wrong with that,” said Austin, who will be looking for his third career victory. “I have played in one final group, and that was just this year at Hartford. I was trying to defend. I have not had too many of these.”