Lucas Glover fired a two-under par 70 on Saturday to stretch his lead to two strokes after the third round of the US PGA’s New Orleans Classic.

Glover sits on top a leaderboard on 14-under-par after 54 holes ahead of fellow Americans Kyle Stanley, Jimmy Walker, Billy Horschel and DA Points at 12-under with Kevin Stadler another stroke further back.

Rod Pampling (67) is the best-placed Australian, tied for 17th at 8-under while compatriots Steven Bowditch (71), Stuart Appleby (71) and Matt Jones (73) are three shots further behind and Greg Chalmers (71) another shot back.

Early starters fired low scores before afternoon winds began swirling, with Stanley shooting 65 and Walker and Horschel firing 66s while Glover played a roller-coaster round that included five birdies and three bogeys.

Glover, whose wife is expecting a baby in the next few days, birdied the par-5 second and answered a bogey at the fifth with birdies on the par-5 seventh and par-4 eighth.

On the back nine, Glover made bogeys on the par-3 14th and 17th holes but birdied the par-5 11th and 18th to stay on top.

“The wind picked up more than was forecast,” sais Glover, the 2009 US Open champion.

“It was good to see some good scores up there early.”

“My speed was a little off today. I left a bunch of eight and 10-footers short. I just didn’t have the speed right.”

Sweden’s Henrik Norlander fired a 65 to stand at 10-under in a group that includes Americans Ricky Barnes, Ken Looper and Boo Weekley.

Chinese schoolboy Guan Tianlang, who became the youngest starter in US Masters history earlier this month at age 14, struggled to a 77 on Saturday to stand on 218, last among the 71 who made the cut.

Guan made three birdies but also had five bogeys and a triple bogey.

“Today was not that good, but it’s still a great experience,” Guan said. “I didn’t have a good start and I tried to start back in the middle and made a couple birdies, but it was not a very good round.”

Guan plans to take a chance on qualifying for the year’s next major event, June’s US Open at Merion.

“I’m probably going to try the US Open qualifier and then go back to China after that,” he said.