5/23-Former Illini D.A. Points 2 shots back at Byron Nelson

Irving, TX (Sports Network) - Rory Sabbatini and John Mallinger both fired 65s on Saturday to stay atop the leaderboard after the third round of the Byron Nelson Championship. The overnight co-leaders finished 54 holes at 13-under 197 and are two clear at the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas. Dustin Johnson, who grabbed first for a good share of Saturdays round, bogeyed two of his last three holes. He posted a four-under 66 and is tied for third place with D.A. Points (65) and Brian Davis (66) at 11-under-par 199. With tee times moved up thanks to the threat of inclement afternoon weather, the third round was completed without incident and scoring was good. Eighteen of the 74 players who made the cut failed to break par on Saturday, but they are all chasing the two men who made it two straight rounds atop the leaderboard. Sabbatini got off to a decent start with four consecutive pars and broke into red figures finally with a birdie at the par-three fifth. His tee ball narrowly missed falling in for an ace, but he settled for the birdie which kick-started his good round. Sabbatini made birdie at the seventh and eighth to get within one of the lead. He joined Johnson in first after a long birdie putt at the ninth, his third in a row. He holed a tough par putt at 10, then kept pace with Johnson thanks to a short birdie putt at 11. Sabbatini had a decent look at birdie on 12, but missed. He converted a nice par putt at 13, but found trouble at 14. Sabbatini drove into the right rough and could not get his second to the putting surface. His third stopped 15 feet from the stick, but he couldnt sink the par save. It was at this time that Johnson, who found water three times on Saturday, fell apart. He missed the fairway en route to a bogey at 16, then drove into the water at the last to post 11-under in the clubhouse. Sabbatini made up for the lost stroke, and took the lead with a 10-foot birdie putt at the 15th. He had good chances on the way in, but stayed at 13-under, which was good for his eighth 54-hole lead on tour. "The putter has definitely been keeping me in play this week," said Sabbatini, who won three times in his previous seven third-round leads and has one additional tour win. "Thats something that going into tomorrows round Im going to have to find to alleviate some of the pressure in my game, putting the drives in the fairway a little more frequently, obviously making it easier on myself to put the ball closer to the holes." He was joined by Mallinger, who has a piece of the third-round lead for the first time in his tour career. Mallinger made a nine-footer for birdie at the third and reached 11-under for the championship after back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth holes. Both birdie putts were over 10 feet in length, but Mallinger cooled. He parred his next seven holes around the turn. That kept Mallinger near the top of the leaderboard, but it was his play midway through the back nine, coupled with Johnsons struggles, that got Mallinger his share of first place. At the par-four 14th, Mallinger rolled in a seven-foot birdie putt to get within one. He joined his fellow co-leader in first after a short birdie putt at the next hole. Mallinger parred out and is in the mix for his first PGA Tour victory. "Im just going to keep doing what Im doing. I know its going to be tough. Rory is a hometown guy," said Mallinger, who tied for third two weeks ago at The Players Championship. "I know hes going to play hard, Im going to play as hard as I can, and whoever comes out is the best player for the week." Kevin Streelman (64), Glen Day (65) and Briny Baird (67) share sixth place at minus-10. Marc Leishman (63) and James Nitties (68) are tied for ninth at minus-nine.