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With 20-mile-per-hour gusts in the forecast, Sawgrass was set up shorter and easier on day three. The par-5 16th hole was playing 25 yards shorter than its stated length on the scorecard.
Greg Kraft fired the low round of the day with a 68, getting to one under for the tournament. That put him in a seven-way tie for seventh place with Tom Lehman and Tim Petrovic, who both shot 69; Stuart Appleby (71), Boo Weekley (74), J.B. Holmes (71) and Briny Baird (73).
A few players shot themselves out of contention, most notably 22-year-old Anthony Kim, who began the day just two strokes off the lead. Tiger Woods has won in consecutive starts 22 times in his career, and Kim, who won the Wachovia last week, looked like he might go back-to-back after shooting 70 in the first two rounds.
But after his first PGA Tour victory and all the media attention of the past week, Kim seemed to hit a wall. He bogeyed his first two holes, fought back briefly and then watched his hopes drown completely with a water ball and a triple-bogey 6 on the 17th hole, and another water ball and a double-bogey 6 on the 18th. He shot 43 on the back nine, 79 for the day, and was tied for 34th place at three over.
"I hit good shots," Kim said. "I was hitting fairways. The only shot I didn't focus on was the two-footer on No. 2 that I thought I could kick in, and obviously I couldn't."
Stephen Ames got to two under with a birdie on 17 and then double-bogeyed 18 to fall into a big group at even par. Weekley stumbled with a front-nine 40. Fred Couples shot 77.
"The wind, I think, is the story of the week so far," said Baird.
It can all go bad in a hurry here, which may be why the leader was reserved when he was asked how he'll approach Sunday. He says he's playing the best golf of his life, but he wouldn't tempt fate with a prediction.
"This is why I've been playing and practicing for the last, who knows how many years, 30 years," Goydos said. "It's a good opportunity, great field, great golf course. I'm hoping the weather holds off. I think Sunday here — it's going to be a great experience irrespective of the outcome. This is why we play."
