Money leader Langer has edge

Jay Haas’ eagle has him in contention at the Senior PGA event.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Steady Bernhard Langer held off Jay Haas’ late run, which included a stunning eagle on Oak Hill Country Club’s No. 17, and took the lead after the third round of the Senior PGA Championship Saturday.

Langer, the Champions Tour money leader, finished with an even-par 70 to put him at 2-over 212 for the tournament, a shot ahead of Haas and local favorite Jeff Sluman.

Haas vaulted into contention with an eagle-2 from the rough on the second-to-last hole, but then closed with a bogey to cap a 72. Sluman was among the leaders, but was undone by closing with three straight bogeys for a 70.

Scott Simpson and Bill Britton were tied at 216 and Greg Norman was part of a four-man group at 217. Otherwise, there’s no one else close entering the final round of the $2 million tournament at an East Course that’s surrendered only nine sub-par rounds over the first three days.

The field opened up significantly with only eight players within six shots of the lead. That comes after the day began with 25 players within six shots of the lead once held by Tom Purtzer, who tumbled down the leaderboard after shooting an 82 that put him in a tie for 25th.

Langer and Sluman spent most of the day tied for the lead and appeared in a position to run away from the field after the playing partners both scored birdies on the 14th and 15th holes. That put them five shots up on the nearest contender.

Then came an uncharacteristic collapse when both carded bogeys on 16 and 17.

Sluman added another bogey on 18, and Langer nearly did so too if not for a clutch 6-foot putt to save par.

Haas, in the meantime, went on a roll after struggling through a round that appeared to be going nowhere, and had him sitting 4-over for the day through 14 holes.

After a birdie-2 on No. 15, Haas produced one of the best clutch shots of the tournament after his tee shot at 17 landed in thick rough left of the fairway about 162 yards from the pin. Haas then hit a perfect shot that skipped through the narrow opening to the green and rolled directly into the hole, briefly putting him into a tie with Langer and Sluman.

Langer has been the most efficient this week after posting consecutive rounds of 71 over the first two days.