Wilson, Mahan Fix Holes in Games

Improvements Spark Climbs Up Leader Board

Hunter Mahan and Dean Wilson, separated by one stroke and two hours, both catapulted up the leader board in the third round of the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club.

It might be too late.

Mahan started the round tied for 48th place at 9:32 a.m. in the closing credits of a morning drizzle and shot a 6-under-par 64. Wilson, tied for 26th and teeing off at 11:40 just as the sun was beginning to bake the golfers, finished with a 5-under 65. Together, they posted two of the day's top performances and the two biggest jumps in the standings of any golfer within five strokes of the lead. But with just one day left, Wilson's 6-under 204 (tied for ninth place) and Mahan's 5-under 205 (tied for 11th place) left them with steep deficits to catch Tom Pernice Jr., the leader at 10 under.

"I got some ground to make up," Wilson said. "The course is out there for them to play well, too."

The 11th hole tells the story of Mahan's three days at the AT&T National. Sandwiched between a water hazard and wooded area, it ranks as the course's second-most difficult hole.

On Thursday, Mahan found the water, finished the hole with a bogey and ended with a 69. On Friday, his tee shot left him eluding trees as he finished the hole with a double bogey and shot a 72.

Yesterday, Mahan found the fairway. He birdied the hole -- one of seven on his card -- and finished with a 64.

"I was right on Thursday and left on Friday," Mahan said. "I just put it in play. . . . I just try to get specific in the target. I was hitting great all day today, so I made a trusting swing and let it go."

Two shots this season have haunted Mahan. A bogey on 18 in the final day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in March dropped Mahan to sixth place when a par would have put him in a tie for third. At the Wachovia Championship in May, a double bogey on the final hole dropped him to 12th place when a par would have resulted in a tie for seventh.

"I've had two shots that cost me $400,000," Mahan said. "That cost me Ryder Cup points and FedEx points. I'm definitely a lot better player than I was last year."

This time, Mahan's blunders came early in the tournament. It was the only hole he struggled with both Thursday and Friday, but his recovery yesterday made the difference.

"I [stunk] it up [Friday], but I'm happy," Mahan said. "I shot a good round, made some good putts, have good images in my head."

For Wilson, the front nine proved crucial. He shot 4 under on that side of the course, his best total of the tournament.

The key was driving accuracy, which he considers one the weakest parts of his game. After hitting just 6 of 14 fairways Friday, Wilson hit eight yesterday. He gave himself the opportunity to save par on the fairways he missed, too, finishing bogey free.

"I hit the driver a lot better," Wilson said. "I missed the first two or three fairways, but after that, I hit it pretty good."

Mahan and Wilson each corrected problem spots from earlier in the week. Their new problem is the improvement arrived Saturday and not earlier.

"I'd like to be lower if I could have been," Mahan said, "but I feel good about going forward."