Herron and Pernice share lead in Memphis

Tim Herron and Tom Pernice Jr both fired two-under-par 68s to share the lead after three rounds of the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis.

Herron, coming of his play-off victory over Richard Johnson in last week’s Bank of America Colonial, had four birdies on the front nine before bogeys on the 12th and 14th holes saw him finish on seven under at 203 after 54 holes.

Pernice’s round was a mirror image of Herron’s with two bogeys on the front nine before rallying with four birdies coming home for his third straight round in the 60s.

Kris Cox sits in third place, one shot off the lead, after firing his best round of the year, a bogey-free seven-under 63.

He made seven birdies, including four in a row from the 13th to 16th.

Cox, whose best career finish on Tour is a tie for 18th here two years ago, has missed five straight cuts and nine of 11 this season.

Jay Delsing bettered his previous day’s score for the second straight round by carding a 66 and is tied with John Cook at five under – two shots off the pace.

Delsing, who has played in eight events on the Nationwide Tour this year, is making his second start on the PGA Tour and first since the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February.

After missing three of his last four cuts, Cook – the 1996 champion – signed for a 67 and remains in the hunt for his first victory since the 2001 Reno Tahoe Open and 12th overall.

Jeff Maggert and Ryan Palmer are both three shots off the lead in sixth place at four-under – one stroke ahead of Briny Baird, Zimbabwe’s Nick Price and Colombia’s Camilo Villegas.

Defending champion Justin Leonard posted a 68 and is at two-under with David Toms – the winner here in 2003 and 2004 – Brian Gay and Australian John Senden.

Second-round leader Darron Stiles fell apart with seven bogeys and no birdies in a 77 to finish seven strokes off the lead.