Mills comfortable in front, looking for return to TOUR

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Chris Condon/PGA TOUR

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Jon Mills knows what it feels like to sleep on the lead going into a final round.

Winn-Dixie Open

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THE 25

The two-time Nationwide Tour winner, ranked No. 31 on the money list entering this week, fired his second straight 66 on Dye's Valley at TPC Sawgrass to take a two-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters.

In Mills' first Nationwide Tour victory at the 2005 Canadian PGA Championship, he held a three-shot lead after three rounds. He won a second Nationwide Tour title at the 2007 Albertsons Boise Open and has three top-10 finishes this year on Tour, putting him in a good position to aim at "THE 25" going into next week's Nationwide Tour Championship in Daniel Island.

"My ultimate goal is to finish inside THE 25 and earn my PGA TOUR card," Mills said. "But then again, you don't want to think about that too much on the golf course. It's a matter of keeping your emotions in check and playing golf."

A win for Mills would be the first in three years, but the 32-year-old Oshawa, Ontario native must hold off challenges from a crowded leaderboard, including Rob Oppenheim, Shane Bertsch, Kevin Chappell, and Craig Barlow -- all just two shots back at 8-under par.

Mills birdied four of the first six holes, six birdies in all in the round with bogeys at Nos. 11 and 16.

"Obviously, anytime you can get out of the gates with some birdies, it's huge," said Mills, who putted just 22 times Saturday. "No matter how I hit it all day, I felt like my putter kept me in it. I felt good over it and it's one of those days where a lot of them went in. If I keep it up, I do think I'll have a chance when it comes down to the last hole."

Oppenheim, meanwhile, has a little more pressure on him Sunday. He entered the week No. 59 on the money list -- and only the top 60 get to punch a ticket into next week's Nationwide Tour Championship field.

"I don't know exactly what I need to do," admitted Oppenheim. "Just play well. Last week, I was ranked 56, just made the cut and next thing I knew I was back to 59. I know I have to play well. That's it."

As the winds began picking up, he was happy just to get off the golf course with a 3-under 67 and looks forward to playing in tomorrow's final group with Mills and Bertsch.

"It played tough today," said Oppenheim, carding six birdies and three bogeys in the third round. "Bogeys were easy to come by so it was nice to make some putts to offset those. Anything under par today was pretty good playing."

The low round of the day came from 2010 Nationwide Tou newcomer Kyle Stanley, who fired a 5-under 65 to remain only three shots back at -7 with David Mathis.

Stanley, who played three years at Clemson University before turning pro last year, is also seeking to finish in the Nationwide Tour's top 25 by season's end, ranking No. 32 entering this week.

"I changed my game plan up a little bit today," said Stanley. "In the first two days, I played out of the rough a lot so I didn't hit driver too many times today. I made it a priority to get the ball in the fairway and hit greens. It was a simple approach today."

Bertsch had one two of his best moments of the day on the 18th green. First, he sunk a 28-foot putt from the edge of the green to go to 8-under and secure a spot in Sunday's final group, then was surprised walking off the green with a kiss from his oldest daughter.

The 30-year-old native of Denver, entered the week No. 239 on the Nationwide Tour money list and had only four starts prior to Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open due to a wrist and foot injury that had sidelined him since February.

Third-round notes:

• As Scott Sterling tapped in his putt on 18 for a round of 70 to remain at 4-under after three rounds, he headed straight to the tent to sign his scorecard, packed up his LSU golf bag, and hopped on a cart shuttle back to the clubhouse so he could watch the nationally-televised SEC college football game between alma mater LSU and Auburn -- both undefeated entering Saturday's game. "I'm feeling a little nervous about this one," said the Baton Rouge native and former Tiger golfer who graduated in 1995 from the university.

• Ponte Vedra Beach native Jeff Klauk had one of the biggest galleries all day as many friends and family, including his father Fred Klauk, former TPC Sawgrass Superintendent, followed him around the course. Klauk, who worked in maintenance on the course as teenager, said Saturday's round was very nostalgic for him. "I hit some spots today that reminded me of where I hit it when I was a kid," said Klauk. "I've been everywhere out here so I'm totally comfortable if I hit it somewhere that's not good. The home crowd was good. There's not a lot of pressure this week. It was different -- easier. It would be great to win a golf tournament on the course you grew up playing." Klauk fired a 2-under 68 to move to 5-under and tied for 14th.

• Tommy Gainey, who has already locked up his PGA TOUR card for 2011 by ranking No. 3 on the Nationwide Tour money list, including 2010 victories at Melwood Prince George's County Open Presented by Under Armour and the Chiquita Classic, thinks he's the only member of the Nationwide Tour and one of the few professional golfers around that wears two gloves throughout his entire round. "It's something I've always done," said Gainey, who wears a cap with the message "2Gloves" on the back. "It's a feel thing. It's comfortable and it works for me. I'm not going to change what's working."