FORT WORTH, Texas, May 18 (UPI) -- Nick Price, seeking his first PGA Tour win in four years, extended his lead to five strokes after three rounds of the Colonial Saturday, capping a 4-under-par 66 with back-to-back birdies.
The two-time PGA Player of the Year from Zimbabwe was tied for the lead with Mexico's Esteban Toledo after the rain-delayed second round was completed Saturday morning. But Price broke free with a birdie at the par-4 seventh hole and began distancing himself from the field with three more birdies on the back nine.
Back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 15 and 16 tightened the leaderboard, but Price got back the strokes with birdies on the final two holes as he reached 10-under 200 and closed in on his first win since the 1998 St. Jude Classic.
The 45-year-old Price won 15 tournaments in the 1990s, a feat equaled only by Tiger Woods. He had one of the most prolific years in PGA history in 1994 when he recorded six wins, including the British Open and PGA Championship. He also repeated as Player of the Year.
Phil Tataurangi, Kenny Perry and Steve Flesch are tied for second at 5-under 205 while 52-year-old former champion Tom Watson has a share of fifth place at 206 with Toledo and David Toms. The reigning PGA Championship winner, Toms collected eight birdies during the best round of the tournament, a 6-under 64.
Price got in a 5-under 65 on Friday before rain suspended play. Nineteen players were back at the Colonial Country Club on Saturday morning to complete their second rounds.
