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JB Holmes takes two-shot lead in US$6m FBR Open

JB Holmes, who is seeking his second FBR Open title in three years, posted a five-under 66 to take a two-shot lead after the third round of the US$6 million event on Saturday.

The 25-year-old American, who won this event in 2006, moved to 14-under 199 heading into yesterday's final round.

"It's completely different circumstances," Holmes said. "Hopefully the same thing will happen to me, but the chances -- I've got a lot of good players behind me."

Holmes was part of a crowded leaderboard after the second round was completed early on Saturday morning.

He snapped the five-way tie with eight birdies.

He started off with a bogey but quickly recovered with a run of four consecutive birdies starting at No. 3.

A bogey at the seventh ended the streak but he added four more birdies and just one bogey over his final 11 holes.

"I hit a good shot on 17," he said. "I hit a 3-wood up there 30 feet. It would have been nice to make that, but I'll take birdie on that hole every day. Don't want to get greedy."

Charles Warren shot a 67 and Jonathan Byrd carded a 68 to finish tied for second at 12-under 201.

Ben Crane (67) and Australia's Nick O'Hern (68) are another shot back. O'Hearn likes the vocal fans at hole No 16 where the players hear both cheers and boos if they miss short putts.

"I hit the ball lovely all day, had a bit of a lull there in the middle of the round there where I got on the bogey train a little bit, but had a good finish," O'Hearn said. "I'm enjoying the 16th hole at the moment. I keep birdieing that hole, three days in a row. The crowd was out of control, so it was a lot of fun out there."

A group of six players including Justin Leonard and Phil Mickelson are at 10-under 203.

Holmes is looking forward to the challenge of playing with the lead.

"I'm going to take one shot at a time, don't need to change it from round one to the last round," Holmes said. "Go out there, and I'm going to have to make birdies. I can't shoot even and win. I've got to go out there and make birdies. Hopefully I'll go out there and make eight birdies again tomorrow."

Mickelson said a number of players could win.

"It'll be a shootout," he said. "I think the leaders obviously have an advantage because they have a couple of shots on the field."

"But I think if the guys at 10-under, and there's a lot of them, can get off to a good start and make some birdies, it's always harder when you have to birdie to keep pace," Mickelson said.

"And I think that's the goal, is to put pressure on the leaders by making some birdies early," he said.
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