Casey Wittenberg, perhaps best known for his runner-up finish at the 2003 U.S. Amateur Championship, moved a step closer to his first Nationwide Tour title on Saturday at the inaugural Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung.
Wittenberg posted a 4-under 67 during the third round at the Georgian Bay Club to move to 15-under-par 199. He will carry a one-stroke advantage into the final 18 holes over Justin Hicks (67), Bubba Dickerson (67) and Sebastian Fernandez (68) -- all three of whom are also seeking their first Tour win.
"Luckily today I was able to play from the fairway," said Wittenberg, a 23-year-old native of Memphis, Tenn. "It was tough out there. The ground was so wet. But you still have to make birdies when the conditions are not good. You have to find a way to do it."
With two third-place finishes already on his resume this season (Athens Regional Foundation Classic, Bank of America Open) -- as well as eight top-20 finishes in 13 starts -- a win on Sunday would be the final push Wittenberg needs to garner one of the 25 coveted PGA TOUR cards for the 2009 season.
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow," said Wittenberg, who has finished inside the top 20 in six of his last eight starts and occupies the 13th spot on the official money list. "My goal is to get my PGA TOUR card ... I'm just fortunate enough to give myself the opportunity to get it done."
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