McNeill lead at the in Puerto Rico open

Even though the world's top-ranked players battle against each other in Miami for the Cadillac Championship, the Puerto Rico Open includes a number of veterans and newcomers vying for the $630,000 first prize - together with a number of players, Stenson included, seeking to revive their flagging fortunes.

McNeill's 67, kickstarted by an eagle at the par-five fifth, saw him finish on 13 under 203. While bogeys at the seventh and eighth holes threatened to derail his progress, he might answer with back-to-back birdies at nine and 10, another birdie on the par-4 13th and a couple more at the closing holes.

"You've got a chance to stay patient when it's windy," McNeill said. "You have to hit some different shots. And infrequently you only take what it really gives you. Just patience is exactly what I'm going to be attempting to do (on Sunday)."

McNeill was happy with the way he bounced back callaway razr x irons from his two bogeys.

"After i basically just felt like there was clearly plenty of golf, lots of time, a lot of holes that we played well on," he explained. "I unquestionably back nine practically all week, so just experimented with keep in mind that and advance.

"I feel comfortable with what I'm doing. I'm not saying I'm going to win, because you never know. I'll just attempt to continue doing precisely what I have been previously doing. I'm not really gonna force anything unless I have to coming down recent holes," he added.

Stenson, successful from the Players Championship only 36 months ago, may be desperate for virtually any way of late, dropping just 221st in the world, but he showed signs of the gamer of old because he rolled in eight birdies for his 65.

He opened which has a birdie, made two more with the par-5 fifth and par-3 sixth and taken care of immediately his lone bogey at the par-3 eighth with birdies on three from the next four holes. He then closed with back-to-back birdies at 17 and 18.

"I'm not feeling overly Mizuno MP-69 Irons confident when I'm hitting the shots, so that's my battle at the moment," Stenson said. "I just been able to really make the most beyond my round and shoot a good number.

"I've been kind of grinding against each other a lttle bit and possesses been a very mixed bag, some real poor shots plus some brilliant shots and a few long ones and wide ones -- good short game type of kept it together.

"I'm inside a good position. And if I'm able to stay patient as I conducted these first couple of days and chip and putt well, I'm hoping I get an opportunity."

Overnight leader Matt Jones of Australia shot a 72 to fall back into fourth place, back-to-back bogeys on the eighth discount golf clubs and ninth halting his progress after he started well with birdies in the front nine par-5s.

Japan's Ryo Ishikawa, in Puerto Rico as they did not be entitled to Doral, shares fifth with Americans Scott Brown (65) and Daniel Summerhays (68) after having a 69, one stroke in advance of Canada's Graham DeLaet (68).