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Jason Day has fallen to seven shots behind the lead after a lacklustre third round at the PGA Tour event in Connecticut.

Jason Day admits it will be a tough task to reel in runaway leader Chez Reavie in Sunday's final round of the PGA's Travelers Championship, but a sensational ball-striking display has given him hope.

Day failed to climb the leaderboard on day three at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut and he will start Sunday a distant seven shots behind the lead.

Former world No.1 Day signed for a two-under-par 68 that moved him to nine under overall.

But a sizzling 63 from American Reavie - which included a back-nine of seven-under 28 - catapulted him into the 54-hole lead at 16 under.

Reavie will take a six-shot cushion into the final day overhos fellow overnight co-leader Zack Sucher (71) and former major winner Keegan Bradley (69), who share second at 10 under.

Day shares fourth alongside Roberto Diaz (67).

Giving Day hope of making an epic run is that he is in brilliant ball-striking form.

On Saturday, the Queenslander hit 11 of 14 fairways from the tee and a whopping 16 of 18 greens in regulation.

"Honestly, I believe I'm striking it the best I have in a long time; if not the best I've ever have in a tournament," Day said.

"I've just got to get some putts rolling. I think if I can do that I can make a charge."

Unheralded American Sucher was flying atop the leaderboard during the round with a five-shot cushion.

But he endured a nightmare three-hole stretch that renowned American broadcaster Jim Nantz described as unprecedented.

At 15-under-par, Sucher led by five shots just before 4pm local time.

By 4.30pm, he was two shots behind the lead.

Sucher's implosion started when he bogeyed the 10th hole, before back-to-back double-bogeys at the 11th and 12th.

"I've never seen a five-shot lead disappear faster on the PGA Tour. It's just lightening quick," Nantz said on the TV coverage.

After Day, Marc Leishman was next best of the Australians at four under having carded a second-straight round of even-par 70.

Leishman's countryman Cameron Davis shot 69 for a three-under total.

Matt Jones rounds out the Australians but a 72 dropped the Sydney native to even par and he missed the secondary cut.