• Children's Miracle Network Classic, Round Three

Donald left needing miracle to claim money title

Luke Donald is struggling in pursuit of his goal going into Sunday © PA Photos

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Luke Donald's hopes of claiming the PGA Tour money title are in serious jeopardy, after the world No. 1 stumbled during the back nine of his third round at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic on Saturday.

Donald, who needs to finish in the top two at the Disney resort event to have any chance of finishing top of the money list in the United States this year, looked to be on course to give himself a good chance of achieving that aim as he reeled off four birdies around the turn to move 11-under for the tournament and within touching distance of the leaders.

But he paid the price for a wayward drive at the par-five 14th - finding water with his tee-shot after being forced to wait on the tee, resulting in an ugly double-bogey. Another dropped shot followed at the 16th, with even a birdie at the last hardly bringing him into contention at nine-under for the tournament after a two-under par 70 for the day.

"Some bad swings today really cost me," Donald said. "A marshall came out into the fairway (on 14) and stopped me. The plan was to always hit three-wood, it was just a poor swing. I'd driven it well up until that point.

"Today I just hit a couple of poor shots, but unfortunately those are the ones that cost me."

American Webb Simpson is the only other man who can finish at the top of the money list, and he should feel relatively comfortable going into the final round after he fired a steady round of 69 to sneak in ahead of Donald at 10-under.

Simpson trailed his rival for much of the day but passed him when it mattered, picking up four birdies on the inward nine as Donald's game fell apart to sit on the fringes of the tournament's top ten.

Kevin Chappell and Justin Leonard share the lead going into the final round at 14-under, after carding final rounds of 66 and 70 respectively.

Bio Kim, the youngest full member of the PGA Tour this season, is a shot further back as he bids to both claim his first win as a professional and secure his playing privileges for next season - with Henrik Stenson (72) and Nick O'Hern (70) firmly in the hunt at 12-under.

Billy Mayfair, Tom Pernice Jnr and Kevin Kisner are all 11-under for the tournament, as they bid to ensure they finish the season inside the top 125 on the money list and retain their tour card for next season.

Sunghoon Kang, former Masters champion Trevor Immelman and Steven Bowditch are among those alongside Simpson at 10-under - with Bowditch under considerable pressure going into the final round as he currently sits 128th in the money standings.

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