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WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va.-- Pursuers made a run at Jeff Overton on Saturday, but the Indiana graduate used a strong back nine performance to maintain his lead after three rounds in The Greenbrier Classic.

Overton, 2 over after five holes in the third round on the Old White course at The Greenbrier Resort, finally got on the birdie train just like the one his challengers had been riding. He eventually signed for a 4-under-par 66 for a 192 total and 3-shot lead over D.A. Points, who posted a 61. They'll be in the final pairing today. Golf Channel will televise the action at 12:30 p.m. and CBS will take over at 3.

Boo Weekley birdied the 18th to shoot 67 and hold third alone at 197. J.B. Holmes, with a 60 for low round of the day, Jonathan Byrd, Brendon de Jonge and Jimmy Walker are tied for fourth (198).

Overton, who is seeking his first PGA TOUR win, didn't know what was going on around him until the 8th hole. That's when he caught sight of a scoreboard and saw where Points was on a roll.

"You know I didn't really know what he was doing. Then I looked up, and if anything, it might have helped," Overton said. "It was like Jeeze, what are you doing here, Jeff? Start off playing crappy and then here he is three shots up. I'm like, all right we got to get something going here and kind of buckled down and made some putts."

Overton got it turned around when he holed a 20-foot birdie putt. Just like Friday, he needed just wedges to reach the par 4s. The putts that didn't fall on the front nine now started to go in and that got him back to No. 1. He racked up five birdies coming home for a 31.

"You think he (Points) might get to 17," Overton said. "I said we need to make a few birdies to stay in it. The putts began to drop. I was able to fight out of a kind of tough beginning of the day and hit some really great shots and putts coming down the last nine."

Overton has a simple strategy for the final round as he anticipates Points and other chasers will go low again.

"I need a good round," he said. "Somebody's that 12 under right now, I don't know how many guys there are, but I'm sure one of those guys are going to shoot 65 or better at least. D.A., I'm sure he's probably itching to go after kind of messing up on 17. There's going to be some good scores tomorrow, and it's going to take a good one to win."

For Points, the 61 is a career best. He had eight 3s on his card on the front nine. He came to the par-5 17th 10 under and spectators started thinking the tour would have another 59. Points put his second shot in the new pot bunker short of the green. His blast from an awkward stance came up well short and he three-putted for bogey, missing a 4-footer for par.

"I was thinking that I wanted to give myself the best chance for birdie on the last two holes," Points said. "I also want to maintain my position and try to still have a chance to win the golf tournament. And I did part of it right. I just didn't quite execute on the last few shots coming down the stretch."

Yes, Points was aware of where he stood as he stepped to the 17th tee.

"I mean it was just more excitement," he said. "You know you want to hit good shots. Like I said, I wanted to give myself the two best birdie opportunities I could on 17 and 18.

"You say different things to yourself. I try to talk to my wife. I try to talk to Stuart (playing partner Stuart Appleby). You try to do everything you can except think about what I'm shooting. You do that whether you're shooting 10-under or 3-under. As soon as you start grinding on it, no matter what the score you're at, it's going to be bad news."

The charge by Points gives him a chance to win a first-time event in West Virginia for the second time. He won the Nationwide Tour's Pete Dye Classic in 2004 in Bridgeport. He had a 10-under round during that tournament.

"Well, I wish I knew, but I'm certainly glad there's a tournament here now," he said when asked to explain his success in the Mountain State. "I obviously like West Virginia. You know it's a pretty place. The people are friendly.

"You know, for whatever reason, it's very comfortable for me. I was very fortunate to have played in the Pete Dye, and that golf course was great to me."

During his Nationwide Tour days, Points also had a chance to shoot 60 in a tournament in Dayton. He had two bogeys on the round and posted 62 on the par-72 course.

"It's one of those things that I think we all have the opportunity for stuff like this," he said. "J.B., you know, had an opportunity. There's been a couple of guys, and there's going to be somebody tomorrow that will probably have an opportunity. I hope it's me again. That's what make golf so much fun."

The Associated Press

Jeff Overton looks over his putt on the 18th hole during the third round of the Greenbrier Classic at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., on Saturday. Overton finished the third round at 4-under-par leaving him in the lead at 18-under for the three rounds.