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GREENSBORO -- Steve Marino came to Greensboro in search of his first PGA Tour victory, and he caught a cold.

In the gloaming Saturday night at Sedgefield Country Club, he nearly caught the leaders at the rain-plagued Wyndham Championship.

Marino rolled in a short par putt on No. 18 in the gathering darkness to finish a 7-under-par 63 that rocketed him up the leaderboard.

The former University of Virginia star will start today tied for third place at 12-under, one shot behind Sergio Garcia and Chris Riley.

"It puts me in the hunt," Marino said. "There's still some guys out there who have to finish their (third) rounds, so you never know what they'll do. But my goal was just to inch a little closer to the lead so I could have an outside chance on Sunday."

Marino did much better than that. He made seven birdies in a bogey-free third round, including five in a seven-hole stretch on the back nine.

"I got hot starting on No. 9. I made a couple putts," Marino said. "I've been hitting it good all week, but the last two days I didn't make much of anything on the greens. I got on a nice streak the last few holes of today."

The streak ended at No. 17. Eager to finish before dark, Marino nearly hit his tee shot into the group in front of him, a threesome hidden in the sunken fairway.

Marino's approach from 147 yards landed about 6 feet from the hole and stuck. But his birdie attempt slid past the hole, and Marino swept his putter in frustration.

"I missed like a 3-footer for birdie there in the first round, so I really wanted to make that one," Marino said. "But, hey, a 63 on Saturday? I'll take it."

By finishing his round, Marino gets a chance to sleep in this morning. That should help, because he played Saturday's round with a congested chest, a stuffy nose and a lot of fatigue.

"I've been pretty tired this week and I'm not feeling great," said Marino, a PGA Tour grinder playing in his 24th event this season. "I'll get a good night's sleep and I'll be ready to go. I'm looking forward to it. ... Coming in yesterday morning after I finished my first round, it was so hot and I was soaking wet with sweat. I came in to eat and sat in the cold air conditioning and it was freezing in there, so I think that might've had something to do with it."

Sick or not, Marino's game is healthy. He nearly won earlier this year at the Colonial, losing a playoff to Steve Stricker. Here at Sedgefield, the course suits him as he chases that elusive first victory.

"I like it," Marino said. "There's a premium on hitting fairways because the rough's so nasty. I drive the ball pretty straight, so it suits me. If you hit it in the fairway out here, you can really make some birdies."

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@ news-record.com