Singh, Hart share lead

PEBBLE BEACH, California. — American Dudley Hart, sidelined for much of last year to care for his sick wife, charged into a share of the lead with Vijay Singh in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am third round on Saturday.

The 39-year-old from upstate New York birdied three of the last four holes at Spyglass Hill Golf Club for a flawless four-under-par 68.

That left him at nine-under 207, level with 2004 champion Singh who fired a 67 over the same tree-lined layout.

PGA Tour rookie Dustin Johnson holed out from 85 yards to eagle the 13th at Pebble Beach Golf Links en route to a 68 and a tie for third at seven under with fellow American Michael Allen (71).

Hart, whose wife Suzanne had part of her lung removed after being diagnosed with a tumor last May, birdied the par-three third to reach the turn in one-under 35.

He then holed a 25-footer at the 15th, a 10-footer on the 17th and a 12-footer at the last to grab the outright lead.

"It hasn’t been that spectacular but I’ve played solid," Hart said after another glorious day of sunshine on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula.

"I’ve only played three times (tournaments) in about nine months. I started hitting the ball better last week in Phoenix but I did not putt real well. I worked on my short game and it seems like it’s been paying off."

Hart, who won the last of his two PGA Tour titles at the 2000 Honda Classic, was limited to just 12 starts on the 2007 Tour because he had to look after his three five-year-old triplets.

Fijian Singh, bidding for his 32nd PGA Tour title, rolled in a 40-foot eagle putt on the 11th green to set up a back nine of four-under 32.

"I’ve hit the ball very well from tee to green and haven’t been putting any pressure on my short game," he said after reaching nine under with birdies on 14 and 15.

"If I go out there tomorrow and play the way I think I should and the way I feel, I should be okay. I just need to make some putts."

British Open champion Padraig Harrington briefly got to within a stroke of the lead before running up a triple-bogey eight on 11.

Although he dropped another shot on the 14th, he birdied the last two holes at Spyglass Hill for a 70 and a tie for 19th at four under.

Three-time winner Phil Mickelson, who won last year’s title by a record-equaling five strokes, missed the cut after carding a 78 that featured a sextuple-bogey 11 and a total of 33 putts.

The cut fell at one-under 215, with 60 professionals in the 180-strong field qualifying for Sunday’s final round on the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Among those missing out were former major winners John Daly, David Duval, Steve Elkington, Tom Lehman and Greg Norman.