Davidson, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Greg Chalmers carded a 5-under 67 in the third round Saturday and took a 1-stroke lead at the Chiquita Classic.
Chalmers finished 54 holes at 15-under-par 201. He was one stroke off the lead after the opening round last week, but faded into 59th place.
First-round leader Adam Hadwin also shot 67 in the third round and he is one stroke off the lead at minus-14. John Peterson is alone in third place at 13- under 203 after posting a 68 on Saturday at River Run Country Club.
Scott Pinckney managed a third-round 70 and is in fourth at minus-12. Heath Slocum (64), James Nitties (68), Kyle Reifers (70) and Tom Hoge (69) share fifth at 11-under 205.
Last week's runner-up Colt Knost (69) and Sam Saunders (69) are among six players tied for ninth at minus-10.
Second-round leader Derek Fathauer struggled to a 3-over 75 and he dropped into a share of 15th at 9-under 207.
Chalmers got off to a flying start for the second day in a row. In round two, he poured in four straight birdies to open his round. On Saturday, he birdied three of the first four holes to jump to 13-under.
The Australian then wrapped bogeys at five and eight around birdies on six and seven. He made the turn at minus-13 after a par on the ninth.
Chalmers tripped to a bogey on the par-4 11th, but came right back with a birdie on the 12th. He moved to 5-under with birdie on the 15th and 17th. Chalmers ended there as he parred the last.
"It's kind of new to me I guess. To be honest, I can't tell you the last time I led going into Sunday and I've been playing as a pro for 20 years," said Chalmers, who has had three previous 54-hole leads on the Web.com Tour.
"I just want to experience it and do it. I think if you want to eventually be successful on the PGA Tour you've got to get used to dealing with these kinds of things and being in the fishbowl of the last group or the guy that's leading the tournament. Every experience is new and we're going to find out a couple of things about me tomorrow."
Hadwin, the Chile Classic winner, converted back-to-back birdie chances at one and two, then again at five and six. He made the turn at 14-under thanks to a birdie on the ninth.
Around the turn, Hadwin tripped to a bogey on the 11th, but came right back with a birdie at the 12th. He parred his final six holes to end one behind the leader.
"It was a great round. One bogey on a Saturday on moving day to put myself in good position. I got a little out of rhythm on the back," Hadwin admitted. "I had two real good looks at birdie there on 14 and 16, but I just didn't hit them hard enough."
NOTES: Chalmers' two tour victories were at the 2005 Boise Open and the 2008 Henrico County Open ... His last 54-hole lead was at the 2008 El Bosque Mexico Championship, where he ended in a share of fifth ... Slocum had one of eight bogey-free rounds on Saturday.
