Funk has the edge in Indiana

Fred Funk will take a one-shot lead over Greg Norman and Joey Sindelar into the final round of the US Senior Open at Crooked Stick.

American Funk and Norman of Australia both shot four-under-par 68s to overtake halfway leader Tim Jackson, the amateur and former US Walker Cup player, who shot a 73 on day when the lead often changed hands.

Jackson had started the day at 11 under par, one stroke clear of second-placed Sindelar, two ahead of Funk and three shots in front of Norman.

Yet despite carding birdies at the fifth and seventh, the amateur's round came undone with bogeys at the eighth, 10th and 12th holes.

Funk had five birdies and one bogey to his name before he managed to break free of Norman at the par-four 16th, the American rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt while Norman registered his only bogey of the day to fall to 12 under.

Both men parred the final two holes to leave Funk at 13 under, with Norman, whose 68 also included an eagle at the par-five 15th and three birdies, will start with the leader in the final group at 12 under.

Funk, not regarded as one of the big hitters on the PGA Tour, credited his success on the longest course in US Senior Open history to a new driver.

"I got this new driver a couple of weeks ago and when I hit it right it's got the prefect trajectory and when it gets on the ground it's running," Funk said.

"Everybody's hitting it long this week because the fairways are running but I just love it.

"Probably every drive that I'm in the fairway I'm averaging 290 to 310 (yards) and that's uncharted territory for me."

Norman, who played with Funk in the third round, was also happy with his play off the tee and he said he knows exactly what he needs to do in the final round.

"Keep hitting it to where I'm hitting," Norman said. "I'm driving the ball long and straight, and Freddy made the comment that I'm driving the ball like I used to do it.

"It's a good feeling when you get up on any tee and hit it the way you feel like you can hit it."

Sindelar joined Norman at 12 under following a two-under-par 70 with Jackson alone in fourth place at 10 under, Mark O'Meara fifth at nine under and Ross Cochran in a tie for sixth with Scott Simpson. Dan Forsman is eight under after shooting a 64, the low round of the day.

Defending champion Eduardo Romero of Argentina carded a second 70 in a row to get to three under, in a four-way tie for 15th with Bob Tway, Mark Wiebe and British Senior Open champion Loren Roberts.

Bernhard Langer shot a 73 to fall to one over par, maintaining his position as the leading European, with Ireland's Mark McNulty and Ian Woosnam of Wales at two over following a 72 and 74 respectively.