Golf:Bubba Watson got up and down from a greenside bunker to birdie the last and hold a share of the lead with fellow American Webb Simpson after the third round of the New Orleans Classic.
Left-hander Watson, who had been one stroke ahead overnight, splashed out to five feet at the par-five 18th and coolly sank the putt for a two-under-par 70 at the TPC Louisiana.
That gave the long-hitting American a 12-under total of 204, putting him level with Simpson who had reeled off five consecutive birdies from the par-three third on the way to a flawless 67.
At one point, Simpson led the field by two on another hot and breezy day in Louisiana but he failed to make any birdies on the back nine before being caught by Watson's late surge.
American John Rollins carded a 69 to finish alone in third at 11 under, a stroke better than six players including his compatriot Steve Stricker (68), Australian Matt Jones (69) and South Korea's K.J. Choi (67).
England's Luke Donald, who could become world number one with victory this week, returned a 70 to end the third round five shots off the pace.
"I got off to a pretty good start with those five birdies in a row, and I even had a chance at eight for birdie," said Simpson.
"But the way the wind blows out here and the golf course is firming up, I knew pars were a good score on the back nine. I wish I could have gotten more but, all in all, a solid day."
Simpson will be bidding for his first PGA Tour title when he tees off in Sunday's final round and plans to draw on his experience from last month's Transitions Championship in Tampa Bay where he finished second.
"I have proved to myself, my caddie and everybody else that I can win," Simpson said of his runner-up spot at Tampa Bay, just one stroke behind winner Gary Woodland.
"I was right there until the last hole so I will carry the confidence from that tournament into tomorrow. The only thing it will do is help me."
In co-leader Watson, however, Simpson faces a much more experienced player who is seeking his third career victory on the US circuit.
"We are right in a good position," said Watson, who clinched his second PGA Tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open in January.
"I must just stay focused on what I am doing, just play 'Bubba' golf. Don't worry about what's going on, don't worry about what anyone else is doing."
Conditions today are expected to mirror those of yesterday when tricky winds provided a daunting challenge on a course already playing fast and firm.
"The greens were getting pretty firm and pretty quick today," added Watson. "It was tough. It was tough to make putts. You were just trying to cosy it up there, or I was any way."
