The Associated Press

AURORA, Ohio - Ashland's Steve Paramore stared down his closest challengers Thursday, shooting a 3-under-par 68 to take a one-shot lead over defending champion Kevin Kornowa heading into the final round of the 97th Ohio Amateur golf championship.

Paramore's second 68 sandwiched around a 77 left him at even-par 213.

Kornowa also had a 68, with Paramore accounting for the three lowest rounds of the tournament. The Sylvania native, a former University of Toledo golfer, is at 214.

Second-round leader David Allan - playing in the same group with Paramore and Kornowa - picked up a 72 and was three shots off Paramore's pace at 216.

Despite a double-bogey on the 15th hole for the third day in a row, Logan's Jason Gerken shot a 71 and was alone in fourth at 217.

It appeared Paramore was going to run away with the tournament on the front side. Birdies at holes No. 1, 2, 6, 7 and 9 gave him the lead by two shots on Kornowa, who played well but missed four birdie putts inside 5 feet during his round.

He skirted trouble at the 12th and 16th holes, finding trees off the tee but escaping the difficult Aurora Golf and Country Club with bogeys each time.

Kornowa was 3-under on the front and then missed several prime birdie opportunities coming down the stretch. He twice drove par-4 holes, posting an eagle at No. 6 and managing a birdie from 15 feet on the 11th hole.

Allan, from suburban Cincinnati, mustered just two birdies while battling a wayward driver.

The three players will be grouped together again in the final round.

The cast of characters today has many familiar faces from the 2002 Ohio Amateur.

A year ago, Kornowa started the final round four shots behind leader Justin Collins and was seven strokes back as he teed off on the 10th hole. But he shot a 30 on the last nine holes to pull into a tie with Michael Sabo. Kornowa then won the tournament on his home course, parring the first sudden-death playoff hole while Sabo was bogeying.

The sponsoring Ohio Golf Association announced that the Ohio Amateur will be held at Columbus Country Club next year, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the OGA.

The 2005 amateur will be held at Zanesville Country Club. A site has yet to be determined for the 100th Ohio Amateur in 2006.