Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. ? Three straight birdies gave Adam Scott the lead in The Players Championship. No mistakes on the treacherous back nine at Sawgrass kept him there.

All that remains is to hold off a world-class collection of players on one of golf’s most frightening courses.

Scott had a 3-under 69 to take a two-shot lead into a final round that figures to be as entertaining as the course itself.

As wild as it was Saturday, he might not even have the lead when he tees off in the final group. Scott was at 10-under 206 and had 19 players within six shots — including Tiger Woods.

“I’m far from winning the event,” Scott said. “There’s a full leaderboard of the best players behind me.”

Frank Lickliter, who lives on the TPC at Sawgrass, closed with three straight birdies for a 68. He was joined at 8-under 208 by Kevin Sutherland, a co-leader going into the second round who scratched out a 73 despite a bad ruling that led to a bogey on the par-5 16th.

Another shot back was a large group that included Ernie Els (72), Kenny Perry (69) and Phil Mickelson (72), who made another solid recovery on the 18th to save par. Vijay Singh (72) was right behind, along with Craig Parry, whose 8-under 64 showed that anything goes at any time in this tournament.

Parry made the cut on the number. Playing early in slightly softer conditions, he had two eagles and six birdies in his round of 64 and now joins a long list of players chasing the $1.4 million prize in the PGA Tour’s richest event.

Add the world’s No. 1 player to the mix.

Adam Scott watches his drive down the first fairway. Scott shot a 3-under 69 Saturday at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., to take a two-shot lead in The Players Championship.

Woods wasted a great round — and a great chance to get himself into serious contention — when he hit a 7-iron into the bleachers on the 18th hole to cap a bogey-bogey finish for a 68.

Still, he was six shots behind in a tie for 16th, a strong improvement from the bottom of the pack two days ago and very much in the mix on this thrill-a-minute Stadium Course at Sawgrass.

“A lot of things can happen on his golf course, as we have all seen,” Woods said.

Former Kansas University golfer Matt Gogel was seven shots off the lead after a third-round 70.