LEADERBOARD -13 J Daly (US) -12 S Cink (US) -11 D Paulson (US) -9 S Flesch (US) -8 T Pernice Jr (US), J Parnevik (Swe), B Jobe (US), S Leaney (Aus)

Daly, without a win on the PGA Tour since his 1995 Open victory, shot a four-under-par 68 at Torrey Pines South to finish on 13 under.

Cink, leading by two at the halfway stage, carded a 71 and is one stroke ahead of third-placed Dennis Paulson.

Sweden's Jesper Parnevik is in a group five shots off the lead with Britain's Luke Donald a further shot back.

Daly drained a 30-feet putt on the last to put him in sight of his first triumph on US soil in nearly a decade.

The 37-year-old won the 2001 BMW International Open on the European Tour but has not won a US tournament since 1994 in Atlanta.

It's been a long dry spell in the US John Daly

"It has been a long nine years, 10 years, but I wouldn't keep playing if I didn't think I could still get there," Daly said.

"Victory would prove to myself that it's not over yet. If I don't, at least I have a chance and I can build on it."

Defending champion Tiger Woods, who began the day six strokes off the lead, could only muster a 72 to finish eight shots adrift of Daly.

The world number one made three birdies on the front nine and another at the 13th, but three bogeys slowed his charge.

"I just need to drive it better," said Woods. "I figured something out on the back nine and started to play better."

Woods believes he is still in contention for the title on Sunday if he can get off to a strong start.

"On this course, anything can happen," he added.