Els takes one-shot lead into final round at Pebble Beach

Ernie Els shot a 2-under par 70 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links.

Els sits at 9-under 135, one stroke ahead of Dicky Pride (70) and two strokes in front of a pack of five players, led by first-round leader Jim Furyk, who shot 1-over 73 in the second round.

Fred Couples (67) and Retief Goosen (68) were the big jumpers on moving day to join the pack tied for third. Cameron Beckman and Stephen Leaney round out the group at 7-under 137.

Mike Weir (65) shot the low round of the day to move up 38 positions into sole possession of eighth, three strokes back.

Els, who started on the back nine, bogeyed the par-4 fourth but followed with consecutive birdies. He carded his first birdie of the day on No. 14.

"I made some mistakes on my back nine, which is the front nine, which is actually the easier nine. I made a bogey on the very easy fourth hole and I didn't birdie the second hole, but I did birdie 5 and 6," Els said. "A little scrappy today, but very happy to carve out a 70 and hang onto the lead. So I'm looking forward to playing better tomorrow."

Pride, like Els, carded three birdies against one bogey for his round of 2 under.

"I played solid," Pride said. "I made a bad swing on 1 and made bogey and then played really solid after that. I hit a couple shots in close that I hit good putts that didn't go in, so I had to be pretty patient out there. But birdieing the last is nice to be able to get one shot back and head into tomorrow."

--Field Level Media