Perfect conditions create birdie boom in AT&T National

They were playing the third round of the AT&T National Saturday at Aronimink Golf Club when suddenly the Bob Hope Classic showed up.

Surprisingly, unheralded early starters Cameron Tringale and Kevin Stadler tied the course record of 6-under-par 64. Then Chris Kirk and Steve Marino bettered that with 63s before Nick Watney lowered that to a new mark of 62.

In all, 40 contestants - more than half the 76 who made the cut - posted subpar scores. Watney's record round, fueled by a tour season-low 27 on the back nine, vaulted him into a tie for the 54-hole lead at 9-under 201 with Rickie Fowler, who "only" managed a 64.

What in the name of birdie binges was going on at Aronimink, the fourth-toughest test last year on the PGA Tour, and second-toughest when you eliminate the two majors in the top four?

"Obviously, the conditions were perfect," Fowler said. "The course setup was great, and they put some pins in some easier spots than the last two days, so we were able to make some more birdies."

Other players said the greens were softer, allowing them to go for more flags than they had on the first two days.

Additionally, PGA Tour officials set up the course about 400 yards shorter than the 7,237-yard length listed from the back tees at Aronimink. The tee at the par-4 13th was moved up to 316 yards to entice players to try to reach the green with their drives. The 17th, a par-3, played at 144 yards instead of the 215 it measures from the tip.

Still, the low scores were odd to see. Seven players carded rounds of 64 or better. In the first six rounds at Aronimink, including 2010, only K.J. Choi (Friday) and Justin Rose (second round last year) had scored as low as 64.

The third-round stroke average of 69.329 was more than a stroke under the previous low at Aronimink - 70.732, recorded in the final round of 2010. The 2011 Bob Hope Classic had a stroke average of better than 2.5 strokes under par for its four courses.

After Kirk's 63, Marino matched it about 45 minutes later. As Marino returned to the scorer's trailer from a CBS interview at the tower behind the 18th hole, he joked, "It was nice while it lasted" as Watney finished up his career-low round.

Choi, the 36-hole leader, wasn't having as much fun as his colleagues with four bogeys on his front nine. But he brought his round back with three birdies on his last five holes for a 69 and stood one stroke off the lead at 202.

Marino stood at 203, tied with Webb Simpson (64) and first-round coleader Adam Scott (66). Kirk was part of a pack of a half-dozen players at 204.

The round posted by Watney, 30, who at No. 15 is the highest-ranked American golfer here this week, was even more remarkable when one considers bogeys at 8 and 9 left him at even par for the round at the turn. But a 26-foot birdie putt at No. 10 gave him momentum, carrying him to five more birdies and an eagle on his next six holes.

His approach at the 18th stopped 40 feet from the hole, leaving him with little chance of tying the tour record of 26 for nine holes set by Corey Pavin in 2004.

"In the back of my mind I knew that [birdie] putt was for 9 under, which would have been pretty cool," Watney said. "But no complaints."

Watney, who has a win this year in the World Golf Championship event at Doral, said the back nine that he played, coming off back-to-back bogeys, was a sign of progress.

"Even last week, I let a bad shot grow into something more," he said. "So I'm pleased that I was able to kind of get past that. I was just really trying to stay in the tournament, and luckily things went well."

Conversely, Fowler, 22, seeking his first career PGA Tour win, matriculated up the leader board with a hot start, shooting a 5-under 30 on the front sparked by birdie putts of five and 10 feet on holes 1 and 2.

He had two more birdies on the back nine, taking a momentary lead at 10 under after the par-5 16th, but bogeyed No. 17. He saved par out of the left trees at 18.

Despite his last hole, Fowler said he was pleased with the way he was driving the ball this week.

"My confidence is finally coming around with the driver," he said. "I've had chances to go into the weekend and have good finishes, and unfortunately I've missed out on some, whether it be top 20 or top 10. So I'm looking forward to starting to change that."