SYDNEY (AP) Former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Australian Open after soaring up the leaderboard with an 8-under 64 in Saturday's third round.
Ogilivy, who ended the day with an 11-under tally of 205, faces a tough last round at Royal Sydney in which he will be hotly pursued by a chasing pack which includes American star Jordan Speith and his Australian compatriots Aaron Baddeley and Rod Pampling.
Two-time champion Baddeley, former world No. 1 Spieth and New Zealander Ryan Fox will go into the last round tied at 9-under, two shots behind Ogilvy while recent PGA Tour winner Pampling is a shot further back at 208 - 8-under after 54 holes.
Baddeley had a 5-under 67 Saturday, while Spieth shot a 4-under 68.
Leading Australian Adam Scott is also lurking in a threatening position, four shots off the lead after rounds of 73, 65 and 71 gave him a share of sixth place at 7-under 209.
Ogilvy had six birdies in an outward 30 Saturday as he took advantage of calm morning conditions. After beating par at the first, second, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth holes, he then didn't have another birdie until the 16th hole when he grabbed the outright lead.
The 2010 Australian Open champion then widened his lead to two shots with a superb approach which left him with a tap-in birdie at 18.
''To be honest, I didn't really see 64 on the first tee,'' Ogilvy said. ''But after going out so well on the front nine I kind of started seeing a score like that. It's always a nice feeling. I'm back in the mix.''
The day's other big mover was Australian Jake Higginbottom who also used a morning tee-time to shoot 6-under 66 to move to 7-under for the tournament.
''It was actually pretty breezy this morning,'' said Higginbottom, who won the 2012 New Zealand Open as an amateur. ''I played well.
''They call it moving day for a reason and it's always nice being in contention.''
Spieth struggled with his putter in the opening round but has come into contention as he has steadily come to grips with the poa annua greens at Royal Sydney.
''I like the position we're in,'' Spieth said. ''Maybe we can make a few mid-range putts tomorrow.
''I made one mid-range, really, this week, and that was my putt on 14 today. I made a couple of putts from about 10, 12 feet as well. So if we roll in a few and those guys are kind of backed up on the tee, that can put pressure on and it can actually be advantageous being the group in front.
''So that's the goal.''
