Jon Pratkanis, 20, an amateur from Butler, doesn't feel any pressure heading into the third and final round of the Pennsylvania Open today with a one-stroke lead over a talent-rich field at the Mystic Rock Golf Course at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.

"It's more on the other guys," he said with a smile after shooting a 1-over 73 for a 5-under 139 total. "Obviously I want to win, but I'm playing for shoes and golf balls and they're playing for big money."

First place is worth $10,000.

Rob Shuey, 44, a teaching professional from Mechanisburg shot a 67 yesterday for a 140 and will be paired with Pratkanis in the final group this morning.

Bunched in third at 141 are Kyle Davis of Kennett Square, a sophomore at the University of Central Florida; Nicolas Milito of Jeannette, a freshman at IUP; and Conrad Von Borsig, a sophomore at the University of Virginia. Milito's 66 was the low round yesterday.

Nine players are at par or better after two rounds, with the low 40 players making the cut at 150 for the final round.

Defending champion Sean Farren, the teaching pro at Totteridge Country Club, is at 145 (69-76).

"Until this week, I really had no idea where the ball was going when I hit it," said Pratkanis, who attended Duquesne University in 2004-05 and spent last winter in Arizona building and racing high horsepower street cars.

"I figured I would play some golf in Arizona, but I thought I would be pursuing something else. But I ended up in it."

He returned home this summer with renewed enthusiasm.

"I'm going to pursue golf again," he said. "This is my last tournament of the year and I don't want to end my summer on a bad note. I left some shots out there today, but I hit only two bad shots. I just couldn't get anything to roll into the hole."

Pratkanis had three bogeys and two birdies in a basically uneventful round.

Shuey, meanwhile, had all kinds of adventures. His 67 included eight birdies, three bogeys and seven pars. He pointed to a par 4 at No. 14 as the pivotal hole. After a poor second shot left him about 30 yards to the right of the green in a chipping swale, he got up and down and saved par with a 4-foot putt.

"To get it that close was like hitting it on a table top," he said, holding his hands a couple feet apart for emphasis. "That kept the momentum going."

Shuey, whose previous best finish in the Open was a tie for third in 2001 at Sunnehanna County Club, birdied Nos. 15 and 16 to move closer to the top of the leader board.

"I didn't think I was out of it after a 73. You don't win or lose a tournament on the first day," Shuey said. "I didn't think anybody's going to run away with it. If he [Pratkanis] shoots another 66, then there's a problem. But he's an amateur. You don't expect him to shoot two 66s."

Shuey relies on an efficient short game and a steady putter.

"My driver hasn't hurt me," he said. "I don't hit it nearly as far as some of the guys. The misses I made put me in areas that I could still make pars. I had hoped to be within a couple shots of the lead. I like where I am."

Ditto for Pratkanis.