Furyk ties Van Pelt for Wachovia lead after nine holes

ATLANTA, May 6 (Reuters) Jim Furyk birdied the par-four ninth to join fellow American Bo Van Pelt in a tie for the lead midway through the Wachovia Championship third round in Charlotte, North Carolina today.

Furyk, the 2003 U S Open champion, also picked up shots at the third and fifth to draw level with playing partner Van Pelt at nine under in sun-drenched conditions at Quail Hollow Club.

Three strokes clear when the weather-delayed second round was completed earlier in the day, Van Pelt reeled off eight consecutive pars after bogeying the first to maintain his position atop a high-quality leaderboard.

Fellow American Shaun Micheel, after 11 holes, and Australia's Adam Scott, after 15, shared third place at eight under while twice U S Open winner Retief Goosen was a further stroke back, after 12.

Vijay Singh, who won last year's title in a three-way playoff with Furyk and Sergio Garcia, was also at seven under after picking up his third shot at the par-five 11th.

PAIR OF EAGLES Fuelled by a pair of eagles, Scott made the biggest move of the day and briefly rocketed into a tie for the lead at nine under.

Nine strokes off the pace at the start of the round, Scott made a positive start with a birdie at the par-four first.

A run of five pars followed before he eagled the par-five seventh to get to four under.

The 25-year-old Australian then picked up shots at the next three holes before bagging his second eagle of the day at the par-four 11th, where he holed his wedge approach.

However, Scott ran up his first bogey at the par-four 14th to slip back to eight under overall.

Micheel also vaulted into contention with two eagles, at the par-five fifth and par-five seventh, in pursuit of his first title since the 2003 U.S. PGA Championship.

Nine of the world's top 11 players are competing at Quail Hollow Club.

The absentees are world number one Tiger Woods, whose father Earl died on Wednesday after a long battle with cancer, and eighth-ranked David Toms, who withdrew earlier in the week.

Reuters VJ RN0142