Maggert in the hunt

Tour veteran has not won a tourney since 2006

PONTE VEDRA BEACH — When a weather delay halted the third round of The Players Championship on Saturday, 49-year-old Jeff Maggert was the surprise clubhouse leader after his best round of golf in years.

Maggert, a three-time PGA Tour winner, birdied six of his first 10 holes on hisway to a 6-under 66, his best score at TPC Sawgrass since he opened with a 65 en route to a third-place finish in 1994.

At 9-under overall, Maggert was three shots out of the lead and with a chance to become the oldest champion here since Fred Funk won the 2005 Players at 48 years, 9 months.

“My expectations are the same as they were 10 years ago,” Maggert said. “I expect to play well and be competitive on Sunday.”

Maggert has not won since 2006 and has just one top-10 in three years — a fifth-place showing at last year’s Humana Challenge. The $224,000 paycheck helped him slip into the top 125 on the money list — at No. 123— to qualify for The Players.

But Maggert felt his ballstriking— someof themost reliable since he joined the Tour in 1991 — would give him a chance on a layout that demands precision.

The difference Saturday was a red-hot putter. Maggert needed just 22 putts, including eight on his way to a 31 on his opening nine holes.

“I didn’t expect to do most of that today,” he joked.

Maggert cooled down and missed an 11-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th hole, then made his only bogey of the day on the daunting par-4 18th hole.

For a guy who will be on the Champions Tour a year from now, Maggert will take a 66 — and a chance for his biggest win.

“That’s why I’m here,” he said.

“This course really suits my game at this point inmy career.”

Oosthuizen hot

Louis Oosthuizen carded six consecutive birdies — on the ninth through 14th holes — during a 5-under 67.

Oosthuizen, who began the day at even-par, tied three players — Billy Horschel, John Mallinger and MikeWeir — for the most consecutive birdies on Tour this season.

Oosthuizen had a chance for seven consecutive birdies but missed a 10-foot birdie on the par-4 15th. He capped his birdie run with a 56-foot putt but did not need to make a putt longer than six feet on the previous five holes.

Stroud’s ace

Chris Stroud made a hole-in-one on the par-3 13 hole, playing 186 yards — the second ace there this week, joining Michael

Thompson.

TPC Sawgrass suits Stroud, who has not made it to Sunday in three of his past four starts this year.

RICHARD HEATHCOTE/GETTY IMAGES PHOTO At 9 under, Jeff Maggert is three shots out of the lead with a chance to become the oldest champion here since Fred Funk won the 2005 Players at 48 years, 9 months.