Kuchar leads by 1 at Colonial

Fort Worth, TX – Matt Kuchar carded a 1-under 69 on Saturday to keep his lead after three rounds of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Kuchar ended 54 holes at 11-under-par 199. He will go for his sixth PGA Tour title on Sunday.

Boo Weekley and Matt Every both fired 4-under 66s to move into a share of second place at minus-10. They were joined there by Chris Stroud (67) and Graham DeLaet (69).

The crowded leaderboard also has four more players tied for sixth place at Colonial Country Club. Martin Flores and Tim Clark both shot 65 to get to 9- under 201. They stand alongside John Rollins (67) and Steve Flesch (69).

"It would've been nice to extend my lead. Tomorrow will be an exciting day," said an understated Kuchar.

The second round was completed earlier in the day Saturday. Round two had a two-hour lightning delay, which led to the round being suspended due to darkness.

Kuchar led by one when the second round ended earlier Saturday. Once the third round started, Kuchar blasted his third shot at the par-5 first within two feet and kicked that in for an opening birdie.

After five pars in a row, Kuchar dumped his approach at the seventh in a greenside bunker, but failed to get up and down for par. He missed the green at the eighth and that led to another bogey the dropped him down to minus-8.

Kuchar got one stroke back with a 6-foot birdie putt at the 11th. He was two behind DeLaet at that point, but the Canadian stumbled on the back nine and opened the door for Kuchar.

The 34-year-old rolled in an 11-footer for birdie at the 16th to take the lead at minus-11.

"It's amazing how challenging this course can get with some wind. I was pretty happy to hang in there today," said Kuchar. "Sitting where I am, there's no settling. I've got to make some birdies tomorrow."

DeLaet played a solid front nine to take the lead. He birdied the fourth from six feet out, then knocked in a 3-footer for birdie at the seventh to move to 11-under.

The 31-year-old moved to 12-under with a tap-in birdie at the par-5 11th, but trouble loomed.

DeLaet 3-putted for bogey from 35 feet out at the 13th. He dipped into a share of the lead with a bogey at 14, where he missed the green left, then 2-putted from 16 feet.

After a pair of pars, DeLaet fell further behind as he faltered to another bogey at the 17th. He fought back with a 5-foot birdie putt at the last.

Weekley had two birdies on the front nine. Around the turn, he dropped in back-to-back birdies at 11 and 12. Weekley wrapped bogeys at 14 and 16 around a birdie at the 15th. He closed with a birdie at the last to share second.

Every got off to quick start with birdies at one and two. After three pars in a row, he birdied the sixth to move to minus-9. Every ran off six pars in a row from the seventh.

The 29-year-old birdied the 13th, but gave the stroke right back with a bogey on the 14th. Every closed with a birdie at the last to get within one.

"The wind picked up late and there was a little rain in there too. It was a pretty solid day, I kept it together," stated Every. "I hope the wind blows tomorrow to kind of separate the field a little bit because when it doesn't blow out here, it seems everyone gets bunched together cause the greens are soft and a little slow."

Stroud had a bogey and two birdies on the front nine, then two more birdies on the inward nine to gain a share of second place.

Jeff Overton was disqualified during the third round. While his group was waiting at the turn, he went to the putting green for some practice, and used some alignment rods for help. The use of the putting aide is illegal and thus he was disqualified.

NOTES: This is the second time in his tour career that Kuchar has owned the 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour, and he went on to win the other event -- the 2009 Turning Stone Resort Championship ... Kuchar claimed his fifth tour win earlier this year at the WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship ... Of the four players tied for second, Weekley is the only one that has won on the PGA Tour.