• St Jude Classic, Round Three

Westwood on the slide as Garrigus eyes maiden title

Robert Garrigus holds a commanding lead © Getty Images

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American Robert Garrigus stands on the cusp of recording his first ever PGA Tour victory after building a two-shot lead in the third round of the St Jude Classic.

Garrigus, who turned professional in 1997, fired a superb round of 66 to go four-under-par for the day, taking his overall score to 11-under. Acknowledged as the leading driver on the PGA Tour in 2009, Garrigus could even have bettered his total but for a bogey at the 18th.

The 32-year-old is well known for using an unusually small putter, which is some six inches shorter than the majority of his peers. And, despite requiring more time on the greens than in his previous two rounds, he still carded four birdies and an eagle to assume control of the leaderboard.

It was a much tougher day for England's Lee Westwood, who began the day with a share of the lead but quickly slumped to a tie for third as he completed the course for a one-over 71. Westwood actually did well to recover after he bogeyed the fourth and fifth holes to go two-over, but he has plenty to do on the last day if he is to erase a three-shot deficit.

Ahead of Westwood on nine-under is Sweden's Robert Karlsson, who shot a two-under 68. Karlsson also struggled on the front nine with bogeys at the par-five third and par-four fifth, but he recovered to chalk up two birdies along the back nine to keep himself in contention.

Heath Slocum also trails Karlsson alongside Westwood in third position but he has the greater momentum of the challengers going into the final round, after he carded a four-under 66. Slocum's round was flawless as he carded four birdies and not a single bogey.

Garrett Willis, who had begun the day tied at the top with Westwood, suffered a shocking day as he slumped back to six-under, hitting five bogeys in a round of 73. Charley Hoffman, who resumed the competition one shot off the leaders, fell two shots behind Westwood after a double-bogey on the last hole also saw him card a 73.

Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy failed to build on his second-round 66, hitting six bogeys to return to the clubhouse in 72. The Northern Ireland star remains ahead of Padraig Harrington by three shots though, after Harrington failed to break par for the second consecutive day.

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