Bermuda's Dwayne Pearman shares the lead going into what is likely to be a thrilling final day of the Belmont Invitation, with just three shots separating the top six players.

Pearman shot a two-under-par 68 on day three of the tournament to leave him tied at the top of the leaderboard with American Tom Sullivan on five-under-par 205.

Americans Kevin Morris, Paul Parajeckas and Tom Waters and Canadian Craig Marseilles are in hot pursuit and all six men will have to steel themselves for a test of nerve today.

To Pearman, the situation is nothing new - he won the Invitation in 1992 - and he seemed more relaxed than most as he contemplated what pressures today would bring.

"I will simply aim to shoot in the 60s and then I'll be happy, because I know that will give me a chance of winning,'' he said.

"I've been here before and I like to take things as they come. But that doesn't mean I don't feel pressure. I am only human.'' Pearman felt he should have bettered his 68, after turning round two-under, and added that he had struggled for birdies on the back nine all week.

Fellow leader Sullivan, looking for his first triumph at the Invitation, said: "It's set for a great finish.

"Let's just hope everybody plays well in the last round and it may come down to the last putt on the last green. It's going to be a pretty good shoot-out.'' Sullivan, 49, said he was not used to four-day tournaments and that he had to actively fight against the effects of pressure.

"Most of the stuff I play at home is over 36 holes, so when it gets to the third and fourth days I have to keep talking to myself to keep playing solid golf.

"It's my last year before I'm a senior and golf is still fun and that's the important thing. As long as it stays that way, I'll keep on playing.'' The only man apart from Pearman to break par in all three rounds is New York professional Kevin Morris, who shot 68 and is clear in third place on 206.

And just one shot further back is defending champion Paul Parajeckas, who also carded 68.

Parajeckas said: "I'm satisfied with 68, but I felt I was playing well enough to shoot 63 or 64. I turned round at two-under and then birdied the 10th, but I missed three-foot birdie putts on the 11th and the 13th.

"On the back nine, nothing went in. It was a solid round, but I had the chance to make up ground on the leaders.

"The final day is going to be a real horse race and let's hope whoever plays the best wins. This is a tough title to defend, I can tell you.'' Marseilles, who played in the same group as Parajeckas, equalled the New Englander's score to stay just one shot behind him on two-under-par 208.

Tying for fifth place with Marseilles is Waters, who set the pace with an opening-day 66, and kept in contention by going round in even-par 70.

Dave Purcell, who started the day as the top local amateur tying for fifth place just three shots off the lead, scored 77 and slipped back to ninth.

"I had an eight on the par-three fourth hole and it was tough to make it up after that,'' said five-handicapper Purcell. "The last round should be very competitive and we could not have asked for better weather, so it's been a fine tournament.'' Still in with an outside chance of victory is Canadian Rick Sovereign, six shots behind the leading duo after carding a third-round 70.

"I've been coming to play in Bermuda for 10 years and I always look forward to the different challenges it offers from what I'm used to,'' said Sovereign.

"The courses here tend to be more hilly and the greens a little slower - I'm not complaining about that, it's up to me to adapt my game.

"There are more chances for birdies on the front nine, but I haven't been taking them. The guys in front have been making good starts and that's what I have to do in the last round.'' DRIVING FORCE -- Dwayne Pearman strikes the ball on his way to a 68 at Belmont Golf Club yesterday, a score that gave him a share of the lead going into today's final round.