Doc Redman, a 22-year-old American chasing his first US PGA title, fired a four-under par 67 to grab a one-stroke lead after Saturday's third round of the Bermuda Championship.
Redman, ranked 85th, made five birdies against a lone bogey in windy conditions at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton to stand on 10-under 203 after 54 holes.
"It was really windy," Redman said. "Especially with this wind, being in the fairways was really nice. And the greens roll great so if you have looks at it you can make birdies."
Americans Ryan Armour, Wyndham Clark and Kramer Hickok shared second on 204 with Australia's Matt Jones and Americans Ollie Schniederjans and Brian Gay on 205.
"Whoever plays the best tomorrow wins," Redman said. "And I think I have a good chance of doing that."
Redman, a runner-up last year at Detroit for his best PGA showing, shared third at the Safeway Open in September and the Wyndham Championship in August.
"It's very exciting to be here," Redman said. "I've had a lot of good results recently and it's just exciting to have a chance."
Redman opened with a birdie and added back-to-back birdies at the par-4 sixth and par-5 seventh holes, but fell from the lead pack with a bogey at the ninth.
He answered with a birdie at the par-4 11th to match the leaders and sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th to seize the lead alone.
Hickok, ranked 365th and seeking his first PGA victory, birdied the par-5 17th but a closing bogey in a round of 69 dropped him one adrift.
Clark, never better than fifth in a PGA event, and Armour, whose only win came at the 2017 Sanderson Farms Championship, each shot 70, unable to convert birdie putts at 18 to match Redman.
Jones fired a 66, the day's only bogey-free round, to stand two back as he hunts his second US PGA victory, the first coming at the 2014 Houston Open.
"There's a lot of wind," Jones said. "If you can control your golf ball, you can still shoot a number. I had a few good par saves out there, which was important because it was hard to get distance control right."
Jones said he won't mind a blustery final round.
"If it blows, I'll be happy," he said. "I'm used to the wind. I grew up in the wind in Australia. I'll get out here and see what it is and then it's just managing the golf course, leaving it in the right spots so you can have a chance to save par."