Aussie Baddeley in hunt for PGA title

Australia's Aaron Baddeley is just two shots off the pace with 18 holes to play in the PGA Tour's Barracuda Championship.

The 41-year-old shot a third-round three-under-par 68 at Port Royal on Saturday to sit at 16 under along with Taiwan's Kevin Yu (67).

Baddeley birdied all three par-5s, picked up two more shots on the front nine but bogeyed the par-4 sixth and 15th.

"I hit my irons really well. I feel like I hit most of the greens. I think I only chipped twice, I mean, that made it nice," Baddeley said.

"It feels like it's the right spot to be, to be honest. I feel like my game's been in the spot to be in this position for a while and it's just nice to be here, be back having a chance to win.

"That's why we practice, that's why we play ... hopefully we can just keep building on it tomorrow and hopefully come up the last with a chance to win."

Baddeley and Yu trail co-leaders Seamus Power (65) and Ben Griffin (66).

Irishman Power holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the daunting par-3 16th and made a 12-foot birdie on the par-5 17th to atone for his lone mistake, a double bogey on the par-3 13th.

"I knew I had to get birdies before 11," the 35-year-old world No.48, and highest-ranked player in Bermuda, said.

He made four in a row early and was six under for the day until a missed green and bad chips led to a double bogey on the 13th.

"One mistake. The wind drifted it a crazy amount," Power added.

"But I was able to hang in there and it puts me in a good spot going to tomorrow."

Power has one PGA Tour victory, the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky last year. He would love nothing more than a win for a strong early start to the PGA Tour and to assure his spot in the Masters.

For American Griffin, even more as at stake.

He gave up on the game a few years ago and was working as a loan mortgage officer when he was inspired playing in a member-guest, and the members put up money for him to Monday qualify into a Korn Ferry Tour event.

That was the start of baby steps — making it through Korn Ferry Tour qualifying, and then last year earning his full card onto the PGA Tour.

A victory Sunday comes with a two-year exemption.

Ben Crane, whose last win was in 2014, started the third round with a one-shot lead but a 73 has him six off the pace in equal-ninth. 

Sydneysider Harrison Endycott (70) is tied for 13th at 11 under, Victorian Cameron Percy (71) sits at eight under, with another Aussie in Greg Chalmers (76) at one under.

With AP.