American veteran Jim Furyk is in the box seat to finally break his Firestone Country Club duck as he holds the lead midway through the final round of the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational, but Australians Jason Day and Steven Bowditch remain in the hunt.

Furyk has an early birdie and bogey through his opening seven holes to remain at nine under for the tournament, now one shot clear Ireland’s Shane Lowry (seven holes) who is eight under and two in front of England’s Justin Rose (seven holes) and American Bubba Watson (nine holes).

World No.4 Day and Bowditch sit three off the pace at six-under par and are looking to apply some heat.

Day came out with authority and birded the opening three holes to wipe out his disastrous triple bogey eight from late in the third round and remind the leaders of his presence.

The run ended when he missed a 15-foot chance on the fourth hole but he dropped in a 10-footer on the eighth to pull within four of the lead.

He was within three when Furyk dropped a shot on the fifth hole – as was Bowditch who, fresh off his scintillating 63 on Saturday, birdied the second hole to kick-start his challenge.

Day is running out of holes having negotiated 12 so far while Bowditch is through seven holes.

Furyk has nine top-10 finishes at the event without a win, leaving him keen to bury several demons in his search for his 18th US PGA tour win.

Marc Leishman put together a round of even-par 70 to finish the week at two over while Adam Scott heads to the PGA Championship a little out of sorts after a final-round 73 left him five over.

Andrew Dodt (71) finished the week tied 63rd at 11-over and Nick Cullen (75) finished his WGC debut at 21-over in a tie for 75th.