American Jim Furyk is running into form just in time for the Ryder Cup.
Furyk, known more for being steady than for bringing courses to their knees, displayed more than an occasional flash of brilliance to shoot a course-record eight-under-par 62 in the second round at the BMW Championship.
After a short break, he went out and followed it up with a third-round 66, earning a share of the lead with Colombian Camilo Villegas at Bellerive.
Furyk was at 12-under 198, while Villegas, who was among 23 players unable to complete the third round, negotiated 13 holes before play was halted for the day in fading light.
They headed journeyman Brian Gay (15 holes) by two strokes, with Anthony Kim (17 holes) another shot back.
Furyk will enjoy a nice lie-in while his closest pursuers are up before dawn for the 7.30am resumption, which could prove a crucial advantage.
"I tried to pace myself all day, knowing we were going to be out there for 36 holes," Furyk said.
"My goal was to play two solid rounds. It was solid all day, but that one nine holes really leap-frogged me from nowhere to close to the lead."
He was referring to his back nine in the second round, when he stormed home in 28 strokes, making birdies at his final five holes.
Furyk did not finish the third round quite as well, bogeying the final hole, but was hardly in a mood to complain after knocking in a five-footer to avoid dropping two shots.
"I still walk away in a positive frame of mind," he said. "I went at the pin with a wedge and it didn't work out.
"It's easy to make a mental mistake when you're tired, when your mind wanders for a little bit. All of a sudden you think 'what was I doing there? What was I thinking at that moment'?"
Furyk has not won this year, but that does not mean he has played badly.
"My putting has been a little inconsistent and earlier in the year my driver was a little inconsistent too," he said.
Villegas, meanwhile, had no complaints about the late finish and early start. "We knew we weren't going to finish, so you just prepare yourself mentally and come back in the morning," he said.
"I'm enjoying playing golf right now. I'm rolling in some great putts and I'm excited about tomorrow."
Sergio Garcia headed a disappointing European contingent, seven strokes off the pace after a 69.
The highlight of his day was a hole-in-one at the third hole during the second round, when he used a five-iron from 205 yards to record the first ace of his career.
Irishman Padraig Harrington was near the tail of the field, 14 strokes behind after a 72 that included only one birdie.
Officials had hoped to complete two rounds yesterday to make up for Thursday's washout, but a 90-minute morning fog delay was the reason 23 players did not finish the third round.
Latest third round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour BMW Championship, Bellerive CC, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
(USA unless stated, par 70):
198 Jim Furyk 70 62 66
202 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 71 64 67, KJ Choi (Kor) 70 68 64, D.J. Trahan 71 63 68
203 Stephen Ames (Can) 68 69 66
204 Hunter Mahan 69 67 68, Justin Leonard 69 67 68, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 69 69 66, Tommy Armour III 71 64 69
205 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 72 66 67, Lucas Glover 68 68 69, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 68 68 69
206 Dean Wilson 69 71 66, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 69 67 70, Bart Bryant 69 68 69
207 Charley Hoffman 68 71 68, Robert Allenby (Aus) 71 68 68, Boo Weekley 71 65 71, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 69 71 67, Kevin Streelman 70 68 69
208 Steve Marino 69 69 70, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 70 71 67, Ben Curtis 70 70 68, Johnson Wagner 72 69 67
209 Ben Crane 70 70 69, Adam Scott (Aus) 69 71 69, Eric Axley 70 69 70, Jay Williamson 68 69 72, Ken Duke 70 72 67
210 Scott Verplank 73 69 68, Jonathan Byrd 71 68 71
211 Vijay Singh (Fij) 70 70 71, Kevin Sutherland 70 73 68, John Mallinger 71 65 75
212 Mike Weir (Can) 69 72 71, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 72 70 70, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 69 71 72
213 Woody Austin 69 71 73, Brandt Snedeker 69 77 67, Nicholas Thompson 70 73 70
214 Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 72 70 72, Heath Slocum 71 73 70
215 John Senden (Aus) 69 73 73, Martin Laird (Sco) 69 70 76, Mark Wilson 69 75 71
Top from start to finish
WIE HAPPY WITH OPENING ROUND
WESTWOOD BUOYED BY AKRON SHOWING
