Paul Goydos edges ahead at Sawgrass

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Journeyman Paul Goydos held his nerve in testing conditions to edge one shot clear in the Players Championship third round on Saturday.

A stroke off the pace overnight, Goydos delivered another superb putting display on the slick greens at the TPC at Sawgrass to stay on track for his third PGA Tour title.

The 43-year-old lipped out with a birdie attempt from 14 feet at the last before ending a sweltering day of swirling breezes with a two-under-par 70.

That left him at seven-under 209, one ahead of second-round pace-setter Kenny Perry who returned a 72.

"The greens here are perfect and my caddie has had a good week reading them," Goydos told reporters after needing only 26 putts.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia, who vied for the lead with playing partner Goydos for much of the round, bogeyed four of the last six holes for a 73 and third place at four under.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson was a further two strokes adrift in a tie for fourth after firing a 71 that featured five birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey at the par-four 14th.

"I'm playing well enough to shoot 67 or 68 out here," the American left-hander said. "I don't feel I'm that far off. We've got one more round and I'm starting to play pretty well.