Title hungry Curtis aims to stay aggressive at Avenel

WASHINGTON, June 25 (Reuters) Ben Curtis, poised for his first PGA Tour victory in three years, plans to maintain his aggressive strategy in today's final round at the Booz Allen Classic in Potomac, Maryland.

Surprise winner of the 2003 British Open at Royal St George's, Curtis forged five strokes clear of the chasing pack with a four-under-par 67 in yesterday's third round at the TPC at Avenel.

''I'm not going to try to protect it, by any means,'' the 29-year-old American said of his healthy lead after finishing on 19-under 194.

''Guys are going to go out there and they are going to come firing after me, so I'm going to have to keep making birdies.'' Having largely struggled on the PGA Tour since making his major breakthrough as a rookie, Curtis relishes the opportunity to clinch a second title on the world's most lucrative circuit.

''I wouldn't say it is more important, but it's probably as close as important for me to go out there and prove myself that I can win again,'' he said.

''For a while there I was having doubts but I kept working hard and fighting through the mess I got myself into with my golf game.

RIGHT DIRECTION ''Now it seems to be going in the right direction.'' After making just 17 cuts in 44 Tour events during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Curtis has qualified for the weekend 11 times in 15 starts this year.

''It feels great,'' he added. ''For a while, I kept missing the cut and it's no fun playing.

''I thought this could be a good year, but then I had a little slow period. But it's picked up lately and I've been making some cuts consistently. It just feels good to be playing on the weekend.'' A 300-1 outsider when he won the British Open by a stroke from Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and Fiji's Vijay Singh, Curtis will tee off at 0900 local (1830 hrs Ist GMT) in today's final round.

With thunderstorms predicted in the area, organisers decided to start play early for the second day in a row.

Curtis has been grouped with fellow Americans Brett Quigley and Steve Stricker. Quigley lies second at 14 under after firing a third-round 67 with 1996 champion Stricker a further two strokes back, after a 66.

REUTERS VJ BST0748