Stricker loses the plot and the
lead on US PGA Tour

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
A disastrous back nine for defending champion and overnight leader Steve Stricker at Ridgewood Country Club blew The Barclays Championship wide open in a dramatic third round in New Jersey.
Stricker saw four bogeys and a triple bogey at the 12th dismantle his three-shot advantage as world number 269 Kevin Streelman found himself with the 54-hole lead on eight under, one shot in front of a quartet comprising Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Mike Weir.
Stricker said: "I made two stupid plays in a row at 11 and 12. Really the one at 12 was one of the dumbest plays I ever made, trying to do what I did out of the rough there and from that point on it was a struggle to get in.
He finished with a six-over 77 while Hunter Mahan, in second place overnight, shot a 74 and both dropped to a tie for 11th at four under as the leaderboard showed 23 players within four shots of Streelman's lead, setting up a potentially exciting final round's play.
Stricker added: "Four back, not a good day today. It wasn't what I was looking for. I got off to a good start but then just stunk it up."
He was going from strength to strength as he reached 12 under for the tournament after three holes of his third round, still three shots ahead of fellow American Mahan with a chasing group including Casey, Garcia and Singh at seven under.
Bogeys at the seventh and 11th holes drew him closer to his rivals but calamity struck at the par-four 12th when Stricker's tee shot found the deep rough. His second shot landed him even deeper in trouble as he missed the green 61 yards to the left.
A futile search for his ball left Stricker returning to the site of his second shot for a drop that incurred a penalty stroke and his fourth shot fell shy of the fairway before he eventually two-putted for a triple-bogey 7.
There was more trouble for the US Ryder Cup wild card hopeful as he bogeyed the 14th, 16th and 17th while Mahan also collapsed to four under with three bogeys and a double bogey at the 12th.
Streelman took the lead with a 68, Singh shot a 66, Weir a 67 and both Casey and Garcia 69s to leap into contention, with early 66s from Robert Allenby and Jason Day leaving them three shots off the lead alongside FedEx Cup points leader Kenny Perry, Kevin Sutherland and Angel Cabrera at five under.
Scot Martin Laird lost ground with a one-over-par 72 as he bids to follow up two joint fourth place finishes in a row.