American Gene Sauers carded a five-under-par 66 to take the third round lead at the Air Canada Championship in Surrey, British Columbia.

Sauers, starting the day two off the lead, finished on 13 under, a shot ahead of surging Australians Robert Allenby and Peter Lonard.

In-form Steve Lowery is a further stroke back on 11 under, with second-round leader Craig Barlow and Kevin Sutherland a further shot back.

The 40-year-old Sauers began the day two strokes behind Barlow but jumped to the top of the leaderboard with a round that included six birdies and a bogey.

He closed with six consecutive pars.

Sauers is appearing in only his fourth PGA Tour event of the year and 20th since the start of the 1999 season.

He is seeking his third PGA Tour win after previous victories in the 1986 Bank of Boston Classic and the 1989 Hawaiian Open.

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke leads the European challenge after a thrid-round 66 took him to within five shots of the lead.

13 under Gene Sauers
12 under Robert Allenby (Aus), Peter Lonard (Aus)
11 under Steve Lowery
10 under Kevin Sutherland, Craig Barlow
8 under Darren Clarke (N Ireland), Blaine McCallister, David Gossett