CALIFORNIA - MICHAEL Letzig fired a two-under-par 70 on Saturday to move back atop the leaderboard at the US$4.6 million (S$6.82 million) Ginn sur Mer Classic.

Letzig seized the moment, birdying the final hole as Ryan Palmer bogeyed three of his final four to drop out of the lead.

With a three-round total of seven-under-par 209, Letzig held a one-shot lead over Britain's Kenneth Ferrie, John Huston and Palmer.

Mark Wilson and Ken Duke were at five-under.

Letzig had six birdies and four bogeys in the third round to take the lead at the Ginn Hammock Beach Resort.

Palmer, an unheralded American in search of his second PGA Tour victory, was at nine-under late in the round but bogeyed 15, 16 and 18 - finding water off the tee at the par-five finishing hole.

'I had confidence in hitting the golf shot. It's one of those times you don't pull it off,' said Palmer, who came into the penultimate tournament of the season at 143rd on the money list, and trying to secure his playing privileges for next year by moving up into the top 125.

Letzig, who shared the first-round lead on Thursday, birdied his final hole to go into the final round with sole possession of first place.

He had opened the round with a birdie at the par-five first.

He weathered back-to-back bogeys at three and four, getting back on track with a birdie at the fifth and picked up another shot at the ninth to make the turn one shot off the pace.

After bogeys at the 10th and 12th, he pulled another shot back at the par-five 13th, then birdied 15 when he landed his approach shot within four feet of the pin.

'You have to go one shot at a time,' Letzig said.

'Since it is so hard out there, you can't get ahead of yourself.' -- AFP