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Paramus - Scotland's Martin Laird seized a three-shot lead lead at The Barclays on Saturday, firing a third round 65 as world number one Tiger Woods fell at the first hurdle.
Laird, who started at No. 95 in the US PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoff standings, came into the event hoping to do well enough to reach the next one.
But the 27-year-old nabbed four birdies early in his round and finished without a bogey to take his three-round total to 201 - three shots in front of Dustin Johnson and overnight leader Jason Day.
A victory for Laird would move him to No. 1 in the FedEx rankings, assuring him a spot in all four majors next year.
"I didn't think I'd come in here and move that much," he said. "I knew I was playing really well the last four or five weeks, and it's nice to finally have some results."
While Laird was putting himself in position to battle for a title, Woods was going the opposite way.
Woods, who missed just one fairway in each of the first two rounds, smacked his opening tee shot off the grounds, took a triple bogey and never could regain all the lost ground.
He finished birdie-birdie for a one-over 72 that left him nine adrift. He'll need a solid finish on Sunday just to move ahead to the Deutsche Bank Championship next week near Boston.
"In the end, it probably cost me a chance to win the tournament," Woods said. "But I'm pleased with how I sucked it up and got it back the rest of the day, when it easily could have gone the other way."
Johnson, playing for the first time since a two-shot penalty on the final hole of the PGA Championship cost him a chance to be in a playoff, fired a 64.
His round was highlighted by an eagle on the 616-yard 13th, where he hit a three-wood to 15 feet.
"I definitely put myself into the hunt," Johnson said.
Day also remained in the hunt, but five bogeys prevented him from building on his second-round lead.
Day's fellow Aussie Adam Scott birdied the last hole in a 68 that put him four off the lead.
A total of 10 players were separated by just five shots going into the final round.
England's Justin Rose, in his final round before European captain Colin Montgomerie makes his Ryder Cup picks, started early and fired a 65 to join a group on 206.
"I think it's a tight selection process," said Rose, who won this year at Memorial and the AT&T National.
"It has just been nice to make a little bit of noise and shoot a great round to show him my game is there. I didn't go out there to prove anything today. But I'm glad that it worked out. I think it's a timely round of golf."
