Kyle Reifers

Staff Photo by Tim Barber Chris Baryla tees off on the par-3, no. 7 after moving to 13-under in the Nationwide Tour at Black Creek.

Chris Baryla has found the popular formula for leading the Chattanooga Classic.

Just make a lot of birdies -- a lot more than most Nationwide Tour stops -- add in an eagle or two and keep the bogeys to a minimum. He's about perfected the not-so-secret formula.

Baryla has made 19 birdies and two eagles to dissipate the impact of a single bogey and one-double bogey during the first three rounds of the 2009 Classic at Black Creek Club.

"I'm super happy with today, obviously," said Baryla, who grew up in Canada and played college golf at UTEP. "I'm just glad we got all 18 holes in with all the water we've had. When you get rolling, you can make some birdies on this course."

He owns a two-stroke lead heading into the final day at 17-under-par 199. Saturday included the conclusion of the second round by 50 golfers and the entire third round.

The 2006 champion, Kyle Reifers, is at 201. Justin Bolli, the 2004 Classic champion, is tied for third at 203 with Hunter Haas and Josh Teater.

"I didn't have any top-10 worthy 'SportsCenter' highlights," Baryla said. "The whole round, if you could wrap it up, would be my highlight. I never had a par putt longer than two feet."

Despite the wet conditions, today's round should proceed as planned. The first group will tee off at 7:45 a.m. The field will play in twosomes off No. 1 with the leaders starting at 1 p.m.

Baryla has taken advantage of the golf adage that if you play well, you keep playing.

He Monday-qualified for the Rex Hospital Open in late May and tied for fourth. That advanced him to the next tournament, where he tied for 12th and advanced to the next week in Knoxville.

Baryla has chosen his schedule carefully because a pinched nerve in his back stole his 2008 season. But he made the cut in 10 straight Nationwide Tour events before missing it last week.

"I missed the first 10 or so events, then played in Raleigh, and have played well ever since," said Baryla, who uses a 47-inch chest-putter. "I haven't played in a situation where a birdie or two would win, but I've had some top-10s.

"I have to get it going at the end of the year."

Reifers is not far behind, especially considering he shot an 11-under 61 at Black Creek on Sunday three years ago to force -- and eventually win -- a playoff with Brandt Snedeker.

"I'm going to play it shot by shot because that's what I did when I shot 61 and when I birdied the first six holes (Friday)," said Reifers, who birdied five of eight holes in the middle of his third round. "I've done it before, and I'm going to draw on those good vibes."

Also looming are Bolli, Teater and Haas, who made six birdies and a bogey in the third round.

"It's getting to the end of the year, and we all need to make some money," Haas said. "I hit a lot of greens and controlled my tee ball."

Those are two parts of the popular formula for winning at Black Creek.