Sergio Garcia bogeyed the final two holes to fall three strokes behind surprise leader Paul Goydos after the third round at the Players Championship on Saturday. Australian Stuart Appleby was part of a cluster of players tied for seventh place on one-under after carding a 71. On a day when fellow European Bernhard Langer fell five strokes behind, Garcia was tied for the lead after a birdie at the par-five 16th, and momentum seemed to be on his side when he hit a lovely shot to 10 feet at the par-three 17th at the Sawgrass TPC. But his first putt trickled four feet beyond the hole and he missed the comeback attempt. The Spaniard compounded his problems by dropping another shot at the par-four 18th after pushing his drive into the rough and having to lay up with his second shot. “I&aposm a little bit disappointed because I feel the last two days I shot pretty much the highest I could,” said Garcia, whose long game has been clearly the best of the field. “I feel like I&aposm putting well. It&aposs not easy to make a lot of putts, (although) I went a little brain dead with my first putt on 17 and just jammed it by. With everything that happened I&aposm still there with a good chance.” Goydos, who has not achieved anything of note since winning the Sony Open in Hawaii in January last year, dropping to 159th in the world rankings, birdied the 17th to take the sole lead. He could have had another birdie at the last, but lipped out a 15-footer and settled for a round of 70. It is the first time Goydos, a 16-year veteran on the Tour, has been in front after 54 holes. Goydos headed fellow American Kenny Perry (72) by one stroke, with Garcia alone in third place on four under. Langer, who struggled on the back nine, shot 75 to slip back to two under with Americans Phil Mickelson and Jeff Quinney. Third Round of The Players Championship (Par 72): -7: Paul Goydos 68 71 70 -6: Kenny Perry 68 70 72 -4: Sergio Garcia 66 73 73 -2: Jeff Quinney 71 73 70, Phil Mickelson 70 73 71, Bernhard Langer 72 67 75 -1: Greg Kraft 75 72 68, Tom Lehman73 73 69, Tim Petrovic 73 73 69, J B Holmes 72 72 71, Stuart Appleby (Australia) 72 72 71, Briny Baird 71 71 73, Boo Weekley 70 71 74 E: Charlie Wi 74 73 69, Jerry Kelly 74 72 70, Jesper Parnevik 72 74 70, Fredrik Jacobson 76 70 70, Ian Poulter 69 74 73, Stephen Ames 74 68 74 Also: +1: Adam Scott (Australia) 75 71 71 +6: Nick O Hern (Australia) 73 74 75, Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 71 74 77, Steve Elkington (Australia) 69 76 77, Robert Allenby (Australia) 74 71 77