Canada's Mike Weir birdied the 18th hole to grab a one-stroke lead over Colombia's Camilo Villegas on Sunday after the third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.

A global showdown for the title in the second event of the US PGA Tour's playoff series saw Weir stand on 17-under par 196 after 54 holes following a four-under par 67 Sunday with Villegas another shot back after a bogey-free 63.

"That's a testament to some great golf that Camilo played. I know he's hungry to win," Weir said.

"The course played difficult. It was hard to pick up what the wind was doing. It was swirling quite a bid. Club selection was difficult. My short game really held me in there."

Spain's Sergio Garcia and Fiji's Vijay Singh shared third on 199 with South Africa's Ernie Els and Americans Jim Furyk and Ben Crane another stroke back.

"It was much windier," Garcia said. "The greens were very, very firm. I felt like I deserved a couple more, but on the other hand, it's not a bad round. I have a chance. I'm looking forward to the challenge."

South African Tim Clark, who led when the round began, fired a 73 that included six bogeys in nine holes from the eighth to the 16th and he salvaged a share of eighth on 201 only thanks to birdies on the last two holes.

Villegas and Clark are trying for their first PGA titles with the others atop the leaderboard are veterans hungry for another title as they prepare for another playoff qualifier and the season-ending Tour Championship.

"What a great day," Villegas said. "It was a little tricky. The wind was pretty much sideways on every hole. I did a great job in terms of the wind. I'm happy with the way I handled myself out there."

It was the same patience Villegas has displayed in the long wait for his firts PGA title, a wait that could end Monday for the South American.

"I'm very proud of myself," Villegas said. "There's a little bittersweet taste when you work so hard and you haven't won, when you see young guys winning and you say it's about my time.

"I was very, very patient until maybe middle of this year. It's getting into me, but it's getting into me in a good way. It's time to step it up and give a little kick on my butt and join them. So I've been working on that.

"It's a process. Some guys win right away and never win again. Some guys it takes a while and win many times after that. Hopefully I'm one of those guys."

Garcia said that most tour players feel Villegas is overdue for a victory.

"We all feel like with the chances he's had, he probably should have won maybe once or twice by now. But it's not easy out there," Garcia said. "There are lots of guys trying. It happens to all of us. He's going to have a chance."

Weir would welcome a win as well but sees an impressive set of rivals ready to make the challenge tough.

"There are great players on the leaderboard, some guys that are hungry to win for the first time, guys that haven't won many," Weir said. "Hopefully I can hit it a little better. When I get a wedge in my hand I've got to attack."

Singh struggled through the breezes content to keep himself in contention after a victory last week.

"I grinded it out. That was the key part, to go out there, stay in there and just keep patient," Singh said. "I'm going to go out there and play hard to win. If it happens, it happens."

Els simply wants to finish off a week with four solid performances.

"I want to have four good rounds for a change. I haven't done that for a while, so I'd like to do that and head into next week with a bit of form," Els said.

"Villegas on a very tough day today got himself right back in the tournament with a low round. It will help if the wind gets up. It'll make the leaders protect the score a little bit more."

AFP