Brian Harman holds a slender one-shot lead going into Sunday’s final round of the Travelers Championship following his third-round five-under-par 65 at TPC River Highlands.

The 28-year-old American’s bogey-free round on Saturday, which culminated with a birdie at the 18th, ensured he moved ahead of overnight leader and fellow compatriot Bubba Watson and Canadian Graham DeLaet as he targets a second PGA Tour title.

Harman, who will take a 14-under 196 total into the final round, is now relishing the prospect of battling it out with two-time Masters Champion Watson, who he followed into the University of Georgia Bulldogs golf team.

“Bubba’s a lot of fun to play golf with,” Harman said. “He was a little before me at Georgia, so I always looked up to him, was always really proud of the way he was doing and we were always rooting for him at Georgia.”

Watson saw his two-shot lead from the second round disappear as he could only manage a 68 in light rain on Saturday.

He said: “I just couldn’t get my clubs right. I thought it would bounce and it didn’t bounce. I thought one would not bounce and it bounced.”

Five birdies and an eagle at the 15th gave De Laet a share of the lead, but he couldn’t stay there having failed with an 18-foot birdie putt attempt on the 18th.

Brandt Snedeker, who hit the joint-best round of the day with a 63, Paul Casey and Zach Johnson all remain in contention just three shots off the lead on 11-under going into the final round.