Goydos snatches lead from Perry at River Highlands

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Paul Goydos birdied five of the last eight holes to overhaul fellow American Kenny Perry and grab a one-shot lead in Saturday`s third round of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.
Two off the pace when the weather-delayed second round was completed earlier in the day, Goydos fired a sparkling seven-under-par 63 to take charge at the rain-softened TPC River Highlands.
The double PGA Tour winner, helped by a sizzling run of four consecutive birdies from the 13th, covered the back nine in five-under to post a 16-under total of 194.
Perry, who briefly held a three-stroke lead with six holes remaining, missed a five-foot birdie attempt at the last and had to settle for second place after carding a six-birdie 66.
American David Toms, winner of the 2001 U.S. PGA Championship, was a further stroke back at 14-under after a matching 66.
For much of the day, it appeared that Tour veteran Perry would retain control of the tournament.
A stroke in front of the chasing pack after the second round, he was tied for the lead with American John Merrick after reaching the turn in two-under 33.
SLIPPED BACK
Back-to-back birdies from the par-three 11th put him three ahead while Merrick slipped back with a double-bogey at the par-four 12th where he drove out-of-bounds.
Perry did well to save par at the 523-yard 13th after pulling his second shot into water but he bogeyed the 14th after finding a greenside bunker with his approach.
That dropped him into a tie for the lead at 14-under with Goydos, who had birdied 11, 13 and 14.
Goydos picked up another shot at the 15th before collecting a fourth successive birdie at the par-three 16th where he sank an uphill 28-foot putt from behind the green.
Two ahead at 16 under, his lead was cut to one when Perry also birdied the 296-yard 15th.
Goydos, however, parred the last two holes to maintain a one-stroke cushion going into Sunday`s final round.
American Lucas Glover, surprise winner of the weather-delayed U.S. Open on Monday, fired a 65 to lie seven shots off the pace at nine-under.
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles, editing by Tony Jimenez and Ian Ransom)
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