POTOMAC, Md., June 1 (UPI) -- Bob Estes and Bob Burns took over the lead after three rounds of the Kemper Open Saturday while Greg Norman, a World Golf Hall of Fame member and winless since 1997, saw his hopes for victory diminish.
Norman held a surprising two-shot lead entering the third round after carding a bogey-free 6-under-par 65 Friday.
But the 47-year-old Norman could not follow up that round as he struggled on nearly every hole en route to a 3-over 74. Norman had a double-bogey, three bogeys and two birdies.
His struggles were most evident on the par-5 sixth, when hit his second shot with a 5-iron into a creek. He lost his lead on the hole, two-putting for a double-bogey.
"I had some problems out there today," Norman said. "I never could get anything going. I'm hopeful this is my bad round."
Norman dropped to 7-under 206 for the event, and was among five players tied for ninth, three shots behind co-leaders Burns and Estes.
Both Burns and Estes shot a 69 Saturday, moving to 10-under 203 overall.
Jay Williamson and Bob May were one shot back. Duffy Waldorf was among four players two shots behind.
Norman put his first shot of the day in the left rough, a sign of things to come. He started with two pars, but missed a two-foot par putt at No. 3 for his first bogey.
After a birdie at No. 5, Norman ran into disaster on No. 6. He also had bogeys on Nos. 10 and 16 around a birdies on the par-3 11th.
Playing infrequently on the PGA Tour since 1994 due to personal and physical problems, Burns had a round that included four birdies and two bogeys.
In his career, Burns once missed time in 1995 when he popped a rib out of its socket when he sneezed while watching television. In 1997, he was reduced to playing what he called the "barbecue circuit" -- minor events in California.
Burns had an easy answer as to why he never quit, saying, "I haven't come up with anything that pays as well. I'm not that great a fisherman."
It is the first time in his career that Burns is a co-leader after 54 holes of PGA event. He held the lead after the opening round of the 1999 Doral-Ryder Open, but his best career finish has been a tie for fifth at the 1994 Buick Classic.
Estes is in familiar territory as this is the eighth time in his career that he has held or shared the lead after 54 holes.