Every alone at the top after 54 holes at Nationwide Tour Championship

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Former University of Florida All-American Matt Every birdied the final hole Saturday for a 5-under-par 67 and a one-stroke lead over leading money winner Michael Sim at the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island.

Every is 16-under 200 after three trips around the Ralston Creek Course, one better than Sim, who is looking for his fourth win of the 2009 campaign.

Jacksonville, Fla., resident Steve Wheatcroft finds himself three strokes back after firing the low round of the day, a 7-under 65. Australian Cameron Percy is four strokes back, with Kentucky's Josh Teater and Esteban Toledo of Mexico tied for fifth, five off the pace.

Every will be the first person to admit he hasn't had the best year, but a win in the $1 million event, and the $180,000 first-place check twould change everything.

"A win this week would cover up a lot," said Every, who started the week No. 49 on the money list. "If I win here it might get me to around 10th on the money list. I don't think there are 10 guys out here better than me, but there are definitely 10 guys that have played better than me this year."

The third-round leader has gone on to win the Nationwide Tour Championship 14 times in the 16-year history of the event. The only two players to rally on the final day and win were Craig Kanada (sixth in 2006) and David Duval (second in 1993).

Every started the third round with a one-stroke lead thanks to a course-record 9-under 63 on Friday. The 25-year-old birdied his first three holes and four of his first five to quickly establish a four-stroke cushion over Sim, who wound up posting a bogey-free 67.

His lead was still three shots when an errant tee shot on the par-4 16th led to a double bogey and dropped him into a tie with Sim, who was making birdie one hole in front of him.

Every countered with a 15-foot birdie putt at the final hole to retake sole possession of the lead. This is only the second time in Every's Nationwide Tour career that he will enter the final round with the lead or a share of the lead.

The Floridian has posted scores of 70-63-67, but felt that Saturday's round was the worst of the three.

"I feel like I got my bad round out of the way today," said Every, who hit only nine of 14 fairways and 11 of 18 greens.

Sim, who opened with a then-course-record 64 on Thursday, rebounded from Friday's 2-under 70 with another solid effort today.

"I played much better than yesterday after working hard on the driving range last night," said Sim, who is all but assured of finishing No. 1 on the season money list. "I played great for the first 12 holes, I gave myself a lot of chances. The only long putt I made was on No. 17, so I feel great about today's round."

Indiana University grad Wheatcroft moved into contention with his bogey-free effort and sits alone in third place, exactly where he needs to be if he's to move up and claim one of the 25 PGA Tour cards that will be handed out Sunday afternoon. A solo third projects Wheatcroft up from No. 31 to No. 18 on the money list.

"I don't want to think about where I have to finish or what I have to shoot," said Wheatcroft. "I'm trying to win this week. If I win this tournament then chances are I'll be fine with the PGA Tour card. If I don't get it done hopefully I finish high enough to get my card."

Every and Sim, who were paired together in the final round of the Stonebrae Classic earlier this year, will play in the final pairing, but don't expect Every to spend much time looking at the scoreboards.

"I probably won't look at the leaderboard much," he said. "I'll be playing with Sim so he'll be right there with me. If I play solid I'll know where I'm at."

Third-Round Notes: This is only the second time in Every's Nationwide Tour career that he has held/shared a 54-hole lead. Every was tied at 13 under with Fran Quinn after three rounds at the Rex Hospital Open in 2008. He shot a 3-over-par 74 and finished tied for fourth, three shots back of winner Scott Gutschewski. ... Rich Barcelo was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard Saturday.

Esteban Toledo had a hole-in-one on the 172-yard 15th hole. Toledo's ace is only the eighth in the tournament's 17-year history and the first since Bo Van Pelt during the final round in 2003. ... Jerod Turner made an eagle-2 on the 439-yard second hole Saturday.

There have been a total of four eagles this week but only one has come on a par 5 (Chris Baryla, No. 3, first round). Sim (second round) and Jerod Turner (third round) both eagled the par 4 second hole. The other eagle belongs to Toledo, who made an ace Saturday at the par-3 15th.

As part of a new partnership with the Nationwide Tour, Tiffany & Co. will be on site on Sunday to hand engrave the Nationwide Tour Championship trophy. Each player who finishes in the top 25 will receive a personalized hand-engraved money clip with his 2010 PGA Tour member card enclosed. Sim will receive a Tiffany crystal award in recognition of his "Battlefield Promotion" to the PGA Tour which he achieved in August.

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