Unlikely Pair in Position For First Victory at Honda

Camilo Villegas, of Colombia, hits from just off the cart path on the fourth hole during the third round of the Honda Classic. He is five strokes off the lead. (By Luis M. Alavrez -- Associated Press)

Mark Wilson has been to the PGA Tour's qualifying school 10 straight years and has gotten so used to the drill that he just assumes it'll be part of his schedule. And Boo Weekley probably is best known for wearing camouflage pants and tennis shoes earlier in his career.

An unlikely pair, for certain.

But they'll be the final group today at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Both shot 4-under-par 66s yesterday in the third round at PGA National, good enough to put Wilson atop the leader board at 6 under and Weekley alone in second, one shot behind entering the final round -- where both will seek their first career tour victory.

"If I can walk off that green and know I'll be exempt through 2009, it'll be just a great feeling," Wilson said. "But it's more about the journey, enjoying the whole journey that I've gone on. I played in the 1991 PGA Junior here, for instance. . . . And here I am, 16 years later, with a chance to win on the PGA Tour."

Wilson is 0 for 110 on tour, with a world ranking of 265. And Weekley -- a guy from the Florida Panhandle who speaks with a drawl and is still blown away by the fact that pro golfers get free golf clubs -- hasn't won any of his other 30 starts, with a world ranking of 196.

"When I played the practice round, I didn't think I had a chance," said Weekley, who had his first career top 10 tour finish in Mexico last week. "The golf course, I didn't think it was set up for me real well."

Daniel Chopra (68) was third at 4 under, and Steve Stricker (70) and Charlie Wi (72) were tied for fourth at 3 under. Robert Allenby (73), who entered the day tied for the lead with Wi, was 4 over on the back nine and was alone in sixth at 2 under.

Over the past 11 years, the Honda winner has been someone without a previous victory on tour, a list that includes the likes of Padraig Harrington, Todd Hamilton and Stuart Appleby.

The trend could continue in 2007, with Wilson, Weekley and Chopra -- a combined 0 for 246 entering this week -- all seeking that elusive first title.

"It just goes to show, everybody's good," Chopra said. "There's such tremendous depth on the PGA Tour right now that everyone out here can win."

· EUROPEAN TOUR: South African Richard Sterne held a one-shot lead after the third round of the Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket, Thailand, turning in his second consecutive 8-under 64.

Sterne, who is at 13-under 203 for the three days at the Blue Canyon Country Club, was one shot ahead of second-round leader Oliver Wilson of Britain. South African Anton Haig was a shot further behind at 205, followed by Richard Lee of New Zealand at 207.

Retief Goosen was five shots off the lead at 208, Colin Montgomerie was at 209 and Ernie Els was at 210.