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Imada and Matteson still lead

AT&T Classic: Ryuji Imada and Troy Matteson each shot a three-under-par 69 in the third round of the AT&T Classic to…

Sun May 20 2007 - 01:00

AT&T Classic:Ryuji Imada and Troy Matteson each shot a three-under-par 69 in the third round of the AT&T Classic to remain tied atop the leaderboard.

The pair, who began the day tied for the lead at 10-under, are at 13-under-par 203 and hold a two-shot lead over Camilo Villegas, who shot four-under in the third round to get to 11-under for the event.

Matt Kuchar surged into contention by shooting an eight-under 64 and is just three strokes off the pace, along with Lee Janzen and Zach Johnson.

"I don't think I'll be too nervous," said Imada, when asked about playing in the final group with Matteson on Sunday.  "I slept well last night and it's not like I'm waiting by myself.

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"Troy and I have been friends for a little while and we were pretty relaxed out there talking a little bit and it was just a fun day.  And I think tomorrow is going to be about the same."

Imada is seeking his first PGA win and never has finished higher than fifth on the tour.  Matteson won his first tour event in October at the Frys.com Open.

Imada was even-par through the front nine on Saturday, after a bogey and birdie.  Though he bogeyed the par-four 14th on the back nine he also dropped in four birdies.

He said: "I think about (winning a tour event).  I think about it when I'm practicing or whatever, but everybody has got to win their first event sometime. Even Tiger (Woods) did, (Phil) Mickelson did, so I've got to get mine sometime."

Matteson had three birdies on the front nine, but bogeyed twice.

He settled down on the back nine with seven pars and a pair of birdies.

Kuchar started the day tied for 44th, but moved up the leaderboard with a consistent round that included eight birdies and no bogeys.

"Watching (Matteson's) round of 64 (in the second round on Friday), I was looking at it on the leaderboard going, gosh, I just didn't see an eight-under round on this golf course," Kucher said.  "The greens being this firm, it's so hard to get a ball close to the pin.

"For me to come out and do it today, I'm awfully pleased.  I've been playing good golf, so it's not totally unexpected, but on this course, I was thinking 4-under would be a nice round of golf, and to come through at eight-under was just — I'm awfully pleased to be in here at eight-under today."