Haas, Harrington Tied for the Lead at Players

Never mind that Jay Haas is one year away from joining the Champions Tour. All that matters now is that he’s one round away from winning the Players Championship against the most talented field in golf.

Haas, 49, shot a five-under-par 67 -- the best score of the day Saturday on the TPC at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. -- and has a share of the lead with Padraig Harrington going into a final round that might be just as unpredictable as his position on the leaderboard.

Sixteen players were separated by five strokes, a group that included Tiger Woods at six under after he birdied the final two holes for a 68.

Haas hasn’t won in 10 years, and his biggest goal at the start of the season was to finish in the top 125 on the money list so he could decide whether to play the regular tour or join the Champions Tour.

Harrington finished with seven pars and a two-under 70 to join Haas at 11-under 205.

Craig Perks (70), Davis Love III (70) and Fred Couples (69) are tied at nine-under 207.

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Arnold Palmer, 73, a four-time winner of the Masters, decided to play in the tournament for the 49th consecutive year, spokesman Doc Giffin said. That would tie Doug Ford for the most times playing in the tournament. Giffin said an announcement was expected Monday from Augusta National.

The decision comes a day after Jack Nicklaus, 63, said he would play in the Masters for the 43rd time. Nicklaus won the Masters a record six times, and this is the 40-year anniversary of his first victory.