Stewart Cink reeled off three consecutive birdies from the par-four 10th to take control in the weather-delayed third round of the Tampa Bay Championship at Palm Harbour on Saturday.

Playing superbly in gusting winds, Cink carded a two-under-par 69 for a five-under total of 208 on the daunting Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club.

The four-times PGA Tour winner overhauled the pacesetting Brandt Snedeker and, despite bogeying the 18th, led by two shots when play was suspended for the day in fading light with six golfers still out on the course.

Australia's Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open champion, matched Cink's 69 to lie second at three under, level with Americans Snedeker and Billy Mayfair, who both had three holes remaining.

Americans Tom Pernice junior and Sean O'Hair returned 71s to end a cold, blustery day at two under.

"It was a good day overall, very solid tee to green, and that's kind of what this course demands," Cink told reporters.

"I'm a little disappointed with the finish but 18 is a hard hole. It was practically dark when I was trying to make my putt and I didn't come close to reading it right."

Cink, whose last PGA Tour victory came at the 2004 WGC-NEC Invitational, is eager to return to the winner's circle.

"I haven't really learned how to just take the bull by the horns when I'm in that position every time," the 30-year-old said. "I have had my chances and I let a few go. I'm waiting for a big flood of wins to come."

For much of the third round, Snedeker appeared to be the man in control as the winds gusted up to 70 kph.

The 2007 PGA Tour rookie of the year stretched his lead to four strokes after rolling in a 12-foot birdie putt at the seventh before losing momentum.

He surprisingly bogeyed the par-three eighth after hitting a superb tee shot to 14 feet. He pushed his first putt right of the hole and failed to make the six-footer coming back.

Snedeker also bogeyed the par-four ninth, after finding the right rough off the tee and missing the green with his approach, to slide back to five under.

"Nine was just a poor tee shot," Snedeker said. "First real bad tee shot I hit all week."

The rock-steady Cink, who had started out with nine successive pars, then made his move.

He birdied the 10th, where he rolled in a 30-footer, and the 11th before ramming in a 26-footer at the par-four 12th to edge ahead of Snedeker at six under.

Snedeker lost more ground when he bogeyed the 12th, after finding a bunker at the front of the green with his approach, and the par-three 13th, where he three-putted. He parred the next two holes before play was suspended.

"I'm still right there," Snedeker, 27, said. "A couple of good holes tomorrow coming in the stretch, and I will have a chance. If I can finish strong tomorrow, I'll be fine."

Earlier, Snedeker had chipped in for a birdie on his final hole for a three-under-par 68 to grab a one-stroke lead when the weather-delayed second round was completed in the morning.

He was among 71 golfers who had to return to the course after play was halted Friday due to the threat of lightning.

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