Herron swoops for share of lead

American Tim Herron, without a victory in over seven years, and Australian Rod Pampling share the lead with a round to go in the Bank of America Colonial tournament in Texas.

Herron, who flew a bunker shot straight into the hole for a birdie at the 14th, discovered a two-under-par 68 was good enough to catch halfway pacesetter Pampling, who resumed with a bogey six and battled away for a 70.

They are on the 10 under par total of 200, one ahead of two more Australians in Peter Lonard and Nathan Green and also Swede Richard Johnson.

Herron's last win was in the 1999 Bay Hill Invitational - the event Pampling won this March after England's Greg Owen nightmare double bogey, bogey finish.

Birdie putts of 33 and 18 feet on the seventh and 14th were the highlights of Johnson's 68.

Compatriot Fredrik Jacobson, one outside the course record with his Friday 62, sank a 30-foot eagle putt on the long 11th, but had to settle for a level-par 70.

He will go into the last day on seven under and joint ninth, while Henrik Bjornstad, the first Norwegian to earn a US Tour card, is in a tie for sixth on eight under following a 69.

A total of 21 players are separated by just four shots, but the big surprise of the day was the failure of pre-tournament favourite Jim Furyk and Players Championship winner Stephen Ames to make a move.

Furyk managed only a three-over 73 - it included a triple-bogey seven on the seventh - and he now has six strokes to make up, while Ames, in the final group with Pampling, set off with a triple-bogey eight and crashed to 38th place on two under with a 77.

Justin Rose's 71 put him on the same mark.

Of his birdie at the 14th Herron said: "I was thinking I could make that shot actually.

"I didn't think I was going to fly it in the hole. I visualised it rolling in the hole, not flying in."

With five missed cuts and just one top-10 finish in 13 events this year, Herron could use a win but he refused to get carried away by thoughts of ending his drought.

"You can't clutter your head. You can't think of winning on Saturday, even though some guys do.

"[You think] 'Man, I'm really starting to play, I can do it.' And then something disastrous happens. You have to stay in the moment."

Pampling said: "I think it's as satisfying today to shoot a par round today and it's still in the lead and that is the good thing.

"I know I didn't play great today. I was mentally solid out there and that is what kept me in it."