Silvis, Ill. ? J.L. Lewis has the lead – and the attention – all to himself at the John Deere Classic.

Lewis shot a 2-under 69 Saturday, extending his lead to three strokes at 15-under 198 after three rounds. Hank Kuehne (67), Richard S. Johnson (68) and Craig Bowden (68) are at 12-under 201.

Jeff Brehaut (66) and Robert Damron (69) are at 11 under.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever won from the front on a tour event,” said Lewis, who won in a playoff here in 1999 and came from seven shots back to win the 84 Lumber Classic in 2003.

“I don’t really consider it a lead because if you go out there and you don’t play well, they’re going to blow right by you,” he said. “I was surprised somebody didn’t do it today. I figured I’d have to shoot 3 or 4 under just to stay where I’m at.”

Lewis led after the second round, too, but few outside his immediate family probably noticed amid the Michelle Wie mania. The 15-year-old from Hawaii was on the brink of becoming the first woman in 60 years to make a cut on the PGA Tour, but she fell apart in the last four holes and missed by two strokes.