Pettersson large at Fry’s

The leader is from Sweden, he’s not necessarily a big fan of desert golf, and the weather forecast for today is calling for 20- to 30-mph winds.

Fry's Electronics Open notebook: Leonard using fall to get his game back on track

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Hang on to your hat, as the Fry’s Electronics Open looks like it’s all set up for a wild finish at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale.

The Swede in question is big Carl Pettersson, who is setting the pace with 18 holes to play. If he can post a number like the 6-under-par, bogey-free 64 he recorded before 8,450 fans in Saturday’s third round, it could translate into his third win in five years on the PGA Tour.

“Well, (the final round) is going to be different,’’ predicted Pettersson, who is at 13-under 197 and leading Mark Hensby and Canadian star Mike Weir by a single shot.

“I heard it’s going to blow 30 mph, and if it does that, it will be completely different. But if it stays the same, you’ve got to play aggressive. … But if it blows 30, everything goes out the window.’’

Pettersson said that overall he likes the golf course, and is used to playing on Bermuda grass, as Grayhawk has yet to overseed to rye. But as for desert golf in general, well…

“I don’t dislike it. I don’t love it,’’ said Pettersson, 30. “I’ve never played really well in the desert. But yeah, it’s fun.’’

Whether or not Pettersson, who lives in pine-laden North Carolina, becomes a convert remains to be seen. Chances are Weir and Hensby will have a lot to do with that.

Weir, a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour who hasn’t won in three years, kept up his solid play with a 65.

If he has any momentum, it’s the energy he took from beating Tiger Woods in the recent Presidents Cup matches.

“I’m happy with the way I’m figuring out the golf course,’’ said Weir, who made five birdies in a six-hole stretch beginning at the 11th hole. “For the most part I’ve put it on the smart side of the hole this week. That’s what you have to do around here.’’

Hensby, who followed his tournament-best 61 with a 66, came within a hole of sharing the lead with Pettersson. But, almost shockingly, he missed a four-footer for par on the last hole for only his second bogey in his last 44 holes.

What made that a surprise was Hensby, an Australian who lives in Mesa, leads that statistical category here this week, with just 80 total putts. That next-to-last putt upset him so much he declined to talk with the media.

There are others who could factor into the dash for the $5 million in cash, which includes $900,000 to the winner. Three shots back are second-round leader Ryan Moore (71) and rookie Jarrod Lyle (64) of Australia.

Another shot back at 9 under are veteran Justin Leonard (65), Japan’s Daisuke Maruyama (69) and Ben Crane (69), who recently returned to the PGA Tour after a six-month absence due to a chronic bad back.

There are others with an outside chance, including local favorite Billy Mayfair, who actually led or shared the lead through 12 holes before absorbing four bogeys down the stretch. Mayfair ended up with a 68 and was at 8 under.

Also at that number was last week’s winner of the Fry’s.com Open in Las Vegas, George McNeill (65), and Nick Watney (69), who holed a season-best-tying 11 birdies in the opening round.

Picking the winner might be more difficult than predicting the weather. According to the forecast, the winds will come from the west at a 10- to 20-mph range in the early morning, and then increase into the 20- to 30-mph range in the afternoon. And with the leaders not teeing off until 11 a.m., and projected not to finish until around 4 p.m., well…

Weir, a very straight-shooter, has to be the favorite. He’s been there, done that and even won in the desert at the 2003 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, where the winds howled all the way through the final round.

Fry’s Electronics Open leaderboard

Carl Pettersson 197 (-13)

Mark Hensby 198 (-12)

Mike Weir 198 (-12)

Jarrod Lyle 200 (-10)

Ryan Moore 200 (-10)

Fry’s Electronics Open

What: PGA Tour Fall Series tournament

When: Final round begins at 8:54 a.m. today

Where: Grayhawk Golf Club, Raptor Course in Scottsdale

Par: 70 Yardage: 7,132

Purse: $5 million (winner’s share $900,000)

TV: Golf Channel, 1 p.m. today

Parking

Free parking is available on the west side of Hayden Road, south of Loop 101, with free shuttle access to the tournament gates. There is no public parking near the tournament grounds. Shuttles will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets

General admission is $25, with ages 17 and younger admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased at the tournament entrance.