Aaron Baddeley birdied the final two holes to move within four strokes of the lead after his third round at the PGA Tour event here today.
Baddeley kept alive his hopes of qualifying for the Tour Championship when he carded a three-under-par 67 to head an otherwise quiet Australian contingent at Bellerive.
He needs to finish at least fourth tomorrow to have any chance of jumping into the top 30 on the US Tour's play-off points standings to earn a spot at the Tour Championship later this month.
Baddeley is at eight-under 202, while American Jim Furyk and Colombian Camilo Villegas lead at 12-under.
Furyk carded 66, while Villegas was among 23 players unable to complete the round today.
He had completed 13 holes when play was halted in semi-darkness.
Furyk and Villegas lead by two strokes from American Brian Gay (15 holes), with Anthony Kim (17 holes) another shot behind.
Furyk will have the luxury of sleeping in tomorrow while his three nearest pursuers return to finish the round.
Baddeley is the only Australian within striking distance of the lead, with Geoff Ogilvy and Robert Allenby next best, nine strokes off the pace.
Ogilvy did not mince words describing his day, even though he made four consecutive birdies early and shot 67.
"Pretty shit really," he said.
"It's a putting contest out there when the greens are soft. It was a long day but at least I finished."
Adam Scott is 11 behind and almost certain to miss the Tour Championship, which means tomorrow's final round will close the curtain on what has been a disappointing illness and injury interrupted campaign since he won in Dallas in April.
"I'm still a bit off with the swing," Scott said.
"I was looking alright, a couple under through eight (holes), but I parred the last nine holes.
"I just couldn't get it going. I didn't have many chances."
