Geoff Ogilvy and rookie Curtis Luck have a chance of groundbreaking wins at the Quicken Loans National tomorrow after contrasting rounds at TPC Potomac in Maryland today.
Ogilvy did not make a single birdie on a difficult afternoon, carding a four-over par 74 after starting out in the final group with Sweden's David Lingmerth, the leader.
But such was the difficulty of the course Ogilvy remains in contention at four-under, just three from the lead still held by Lingmerth, who also struggled to a 73.
The Victorian, who is playing this season on a career-earnings exemption, had a tough day with the putter and had to grind his way through the ground. A win would clear him to remain on tour for another two years.
Luck, just 20 and still in his first season as a professional, had a day out, firing a three-under par 67 with five birdies to leap into the top page of the leaderboard.
His previous-best finish in seven PGA Tour starts is tied-34th, but he is tied-fourth through three rounds.
Luck, from Perth, was the 2016 Asian-Amateur Champion and also won the US amateur but this would mean even more to him than it would to Ogilvy.
He is one of the outstanding crop of young Australians making their way on tour now, with a win in the WA Open his only victory in a professional tournament, and he would achieve special temporary membership of the PGA Tour of the United States with a win tomorrow.
However, the Perth player said he would not contemplate the result despite the gravity of the situation. "It's pretty easy, you just don't think about it,'' he told the tour's website. "I have a great caddie, Matt Tritton, we have an absolute ball on the course every day, which is great, we keep the conversation flowing. He doesn't give me a chance to think about it, which is nice.''