Scott McCarron took the slow approach in the third round of the BellSouth Classic on Saturday.
He really had no choice.McCarron, who used a 6-under-par 66 to surge into a share of the lead with David Duval, said he pulled his left hamstring during the rain delay in Friday's second round when he got in a footrace with fellow golfer Dicky Pride.
He said his threesome was jogging down the fairway to mark their ball when Pride asked him if he wanted to race.
"I said sure," McCarron said. "We're pretty competitive out here."
He said about 60 yards into the race he heard something pop.
"I told Dicky if I actually play well, I'm going to dedicate this tournament to him because I think it's keeping my swing slower," McCarron said. "I'm not able to go after it as hard as I normally do and I've got to walk a little bit slower, too. You don't get that pulled hamstring much in golf."
Duval, who shot a 73, and McCarron had 11-under-par 205 totals on the hilly, 7,259-yard TPC Sugarloaf Country Club course.
Duval had carried a one-shot lead to the par-5 finishing hole where he took a bogey after catching water guarding the green.
"I felt like I played quite well," Duval said. "I pulled my layup shot (on 18) and it trickled down the bank into the water. I'm not going to let a bogey on the last hole bother me. I drove it well, I hit some good irons, I putted well. I don't think they're any reason to get down on it."
Challengers rose and fell throughout the windy afternoon, with McCarron, winner of last year's Freeport-McDermott Classic, making the biggest move in a round that included seven birdies and one bogey.
Nick Price, only one shot back when the round began, was matching Duval's par golf until running into trouble on the 15th when he caught a trap and took a double-bogey 6. He had another bogey two holes later on his way to a 75 that left him tied for fourth with Bill Glasson at 208. Glasson shot a 69.
David Toms was alone in third after a 70 left him at 207.
Australian Greg Norman, designer of the Sugarloaf course, Dudley Hart and former Georgia Tech golfer Charlie Rymer all made runs, but failed to sustain their bids.
Norman birdied three of the first six holes to get within two shots of the lead, then fell back with consecutive bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 and another on 12.
Hart used an eagle 3 on the 10th and a birdie on No. 13 to move two shots off the pace, then bogeyed the next three holes.
Rymer, playing on a sponsor's exemption, also eagled No. 10 and was only two shots out of the lead when he took a triple-bogey 7 on 14.