Jarred Bossio

The 22-year-old Bossio, a recent graduate of the University of Idaho, is at 1-over-par 213 for 54 holes (the tournament is being played on the par-70 Bandon Trails and par-72 Bandon Dunes courses). Marsico, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, shot 1-under-par 69 today and finished at 216, while Rowitzer posted a 1-over-par 71 to tie Marsico for second place.

Another five players are deadlocked for fourth at 219, six shots behind the leader, including Anton Arboleda of La Canada, Calif., runner-up in last year's championship, who shot 1-under 69 today. Second-round leader Gaston De La Torre of Brush Prairie, Wash. ballooned to a 79 today and is tied for 10th place at 219.

Bossio appeared as if he would put a hammerlock on the tournament when he stood on the tee of the 16th hole. To that point, he had posted four birdies against just two bogeys and hit a good drive on the 530 yard, par 5 hole.

"The ball was sitting down a little," he related later, "but I only had 245 to the front of the green so I decided to go for it. Just as I was in my backswing, I started saying to myself, 'This is not a great idea,' but I went ahead with the shot. It was only about 20 yards right but it went into deep fescue and neither our official nor I could find it, so I ended up making double. Then I missed a four-footer for par on No. 17 but I was really pleased that I bounced back to make birdie on the final hole."

Although the winds that had bedeviled players for the first two rounds were relatively benign today, there were just six under-par rounds all day at Bandon Trails. One of those came from Michael Anderson of Phoenix, Ariz., who tied the competitive course record with a 4-under-par 66.

Marsico looked like he, too, might challenge the course record as he posted a 3-under-par 32 on the front nine, but he couldn't keep it going. After making bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11, he bounced back nicely with a birdie 3 on the tough 14th hole, but finished with a bogey on the final hole. "I really wish I could play No. 18 again," said Marsico later. "I hit a good drive but the ball ended up in a huge divot and I just couldn't do enough with it."

The final round will be played tomorrow Bandon Dunes GC. Tee times begin at 7am tomorrow with the final group of three teeing off about 9am.