Adam Scott believes his past champion swagger will be an ace up his sleeve during the final round of the Players Championship in Florida.
With Scott and Sergio Garcia the only former winners of the event within six shots of the lead, Scott says the difficulty of breaking through at TPC Sawgrass means golf's unofficial fifth major is still wide open.
Scott carded a one-under-par 71 to move to three under during the third round of the US PGA Tour's $US10.5 million flagship tournament.
But he will start Sunday six shots back of American co-leaders J.B. Holmes (70) and Kyle Stanley (72) at nine under, with former British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen a stroke behind in third.
Korea's Si Woo Kim is alone in fourth at seven under, while Spain's reigning Masters champion and 2008 Players winner Garcia is lurking at five under.
Scott, the 2004 winner at TPC Sawgrass, is chasing the equal-largest come-from-behind victory in 36 years (set by Raymond Floyd in 1981) and welcomed the fact he's flying under the radar.
"I'm pretty relaxed; I'm not trying to win for the first time and it's hard to close out here. I'm way back. I don't have that last-group pressure," said Scott.
Scott, who ranks in the top-15 in the field this week for strokes gained in putting, believes his solid form on the greens has him poised for a Sunday charge.
"I putted really well again today. I've been putting well all week. I'm going to need one of those great rounds," he said.
Holmes agrees his share of a one-shot lead isn't a huge cushion at the brutal Florida course as he chases his first Tour victory in more than two years.
"Everything is so hard, so you have to be so focused on each shot or it'll jump up and get you. Everybody is going to get some bad breaks here," said Holmes.
While Scott shares 13th place, defending champion Jason Day is next best of the Australians tied for 20th at one under with world No.2 Rory McIlroy.
World No.3 Day, who won the Players by four shots last year, lamented a bad break at the par-3 13th that resulted in a double-bogey five, cruelling his Saturday fightback.
"I hit a great shot that was feeding towards the pin and kept rolling into the water. It was a tough day out there," Day told AAP.
Next best of the Australians was Aaron Baddeley, who carded a 76 to fall to three over.
Countryman Rod Pampling signed for a 74 and a four-over total.
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