PUTNAM FIRES 64 AT ST. JUDE, TIES JOHNSON FOR LEAD

Andrew Putnam matched the best round of his short PGA Tour career with a 6-under 64 and tied Dustin Johnson atop the St. Jude Classic on Saturday.

In position to reclaim the No. 1 ranking with a victory, Johnson had a 65 to match Putnam at 15-under 195.

A two-time winner on the Web.com Tour, Putnam birdied No. 18 to tie Johnson once again after a bogeyfree round.

Now he will play in the last group on the final day for the first time on the PGA Tour with Johnson.

“It’s going to feel a little different than the typical Sunday round of golf, but I’m excited for it,” Putnam said. “I’ve earned my way here and I feel like it’s going to be a fun day. See what happens.”

Stewart Cink, who had a hole-in-one on No. 8, matched his low round of the year with a 64 to get to 10 under.

Ricky Werenski got to 10 under but bogeyed No. 18 to finish with a 68. He was tied with Bryan Wesley (69) at 9 under. Brandt Snedeker (70) was at 7 under.

Johnson and Putnam, a 29-year-old from Washington with a pair of top 10s this year on tour, quickly turned the third round at TPC Southwind in Memphis into a two-man race.

Playing in the final group, Johnson opened with a birdie after hitting his approach to 6 feet on No. 1. Putnam, a group ahead, birdied three of his first four holes and took the lead to himself briefly at 12 under by rolling in from 31 feet for birdie on No. 5.

A tee shot way left on the par-5 No. 3 cost Johnson a penalty and a drop making par the best he could do. Johnson tied Putnam with a birdie on No. 5. But the man trying to get back to No. 1 before going to the U.S. Open bogeyed No. 9 after hitting his tee shot into the right rough and two-putting from 14 feet.

Johnson rebounded with a birdie on No. 10 hitting his second from 152 yards to 8 feet and tied Putnam again. Putnam rolled in a 22-footer for birdie on No. 12 to reach 13 under only to see Johnson sink an 8-footer for birdie on No. 13 to tie him up again.

Looking for a victory before going to Shinnecock Hills, Johnson birdied No. 13. On No. 15, he hit his approach 130 yards to within 4 feet for birdie and birdied the par-5 No. 16 after hitting out of the bunker to 5 feet to become the first to reach 15 under.

Putnam rolled in from 17 feet to wrap up his round with a share of the lead, and Johnson could only settle for a two-putt for par.

Cink, who last won at the 2009 British Open, missed the cut at both the Players Championship and Memorial last week.

Champions: Tom Lehman shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Principal Charity Classic.

Lehman eagled the par-5 eighth and played a 10-hole stretch in 7 under before dropping a stroke on the par-4 18th.

He had a 13-under 131 total, the best two-round score at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa. First-round leader Bernhard Langer had a 69 to fall into a tie for second with Glen Day (68), Woody Austin (68) and Scott Parel (66).