PGA Tour veteran Paul Goydos fired three birdies in a row from the third hole at a rain-softened Liberty National to surge into a one-stroke lead midway through Saturday's third round of the Barclays Classic. The 45-year-old, peppering the soggy greens with pinpoint approach shots, had four birdies and one bogey on the outward half to move to nine-under-par overall. Fellow American Webb Simpson, a 24-year-old tour rookie, offset one bogey with one birdie to remain eight-under through nine holes. A further shot behind was American Steve Marino, one ahead of Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden who rattled off four birdies in succession from the fifth after bogeys at the second and third. Tied at five-under were Briton Ian Poulter (nine holes) and American Steve Stricker (10). Tiger Woods and Yang Yong-eun, who waged a final-round duel at this month's US PGA Championship, also made good progress. Woods birdied three consecutive holes from the fifth and was three-under overall through 16. South Korean Yang, who outgunned Woods at Hazeltine to win his first major title, birdied three out of four holes from the fifth as he carded a three-under 68 for a two-under total of 211. Leading in the clubhouse in the first leg of the tour's four-event FedExCup playoffs was American Bo Van Pelt, who carded a 66 for 210.
