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Scott Verplank is honoring the memory of Byron Nelson the best way he can: playing steady golf and trying to finally win Lord Byron’s tournament.

Verplank shot a 4-under 66 on Saturday to pull within a stroke of leader Luke Donald going into the final round of the first EDS Byron Nelson Championship played without its namesake. Nelson, who in 1968 became the first golfer to have a PGA TOUR event named after him, died Sept. 26 at age 94.

As a teenager growing up in Dallas, Verplank got to play several rounds with Nelson after being introduced to him when his mother worked as a tournament volunteer. Now playing in his 21st Nelson, the 42-year-old Verplank is in position to win it for the first time.

“If I happen to do that, it would probably be the highlight of my career,” said Verplank, who refers to the Nelson as his fifth major.

“Byron was so great to me for 25, 26 years that I knew him. He kind of took me under his wing when I was a kid,” he said. “He was one of the finest gentlemen I’ve ever met in my life. … Because I’m from here and this tournament has his name on it, it’s a pretty big deal to me.”

Verplank will play in the final group Sunday with Donald, who barely hung onto the lead after his round of 67, his 11th straight under-par round in the Nelson.

Donald followed a bogey at No. 17, when he hit his tee shot at the 196-yard par 3 into the bunker, with a par-saving two-putt from more than 50 feet on the closing hole that left him at 10-under 200.

Finally leading the Nelson after all his under-par rounds in the event, Donald had consecutive bogeys early to fall behind by two strokes. The Englishman recovered with five birdies in a 10-hole stretch that were enough to put him back ahead.

“This is a tournament where it always seems very bunched,” Donald said. “That’s a little bit why I’m disappointed I made 4 on 17. Just giving that one back maybe gave a few more people a thought that they might have a good chance (Sunday).”

Michael Allen, the 48-year-old journeyman who got into the Nelson by surviving a playoff in a qualifying event Monday, was alone in third at 8 under after his bogey-free 64. Ian Poulter (65) was 6 under.

Phil Mickelson (66) and Vijay Singh  (69), the only top-10 players in the world playing this week, were in a group at 5 under with Ken Duke  (64), Ryudi Imada (67) and Fredrik Jacobson  (71).

Play was stopped midway through the round for a moment of silence in honor of Nelson that was followed by a flyover by a squadron of fighter jets. It was the first time the PGA TOUR ever had such a stoppage during a tournament.

“It was a very nice touch, a fitting memory for Byron Nelson,” Donald said.

“That is appropriate to look up and honor a person like that,” said Verplank, who has kept all of at least 30 notes written to him over the years by Nelson.

Donald had never finished a round leading the Nelson before this year, but has now led two in a row. If Donald can make it three rounds in a row with the lead, he will have his third PGA Tour victory.

“One shot isn’t much, but I’d rather have a one-shot lead than have to chase,” said Donald, who has finished 17 of his 21 career Nelson rounds under par.

Donald had a quick birdie Saturday, hitting his approach at the 490-yard third hole within 5 feet, before he suddenly got in trouble and was over par for his round. He two-putted from 7 feet for bogey after missing the green at the 425-yard No. 4, then three-putted on the elongated green on the 181-yard fifth to go to 7 under — and two strokes behind Verplank.

Donald got a stroke back with a birdie at the 533-yard seventh hole, then had four birdies in seven holes after making the turn. He hit his approach to 6 feet for birdie at No. 10 and had consecutive birdies at Nos. 13 and 14 before another at the 554-yard 16th — the easiest hole on the course — to get to 11 under.

Verplank was bogey free until he got to No. 13, the par 3 where he didn’t get on the green until his third shot. He missed the fairway at No. 15, then couldn’t reach the green with his second shot. But he finished with a nice approach at the 18th that set up a closing 4-foot birdie.

Defending champion Brett Wetterich, the last Nelson winner to get a personal congratulation from Nelson at No. 18, twice had consecutive bogeys in a round of 72 that dropped him to 4 under and six strokes off the lead.

Beside the moment of silence Saturday, officials unveiled the design of the Congressional Gold Medal that will be presented posthumously to Nelson. The medal includes two images of Nelson, one a profile shot in his traditional fedora hat and the other is of a younger Nelson swinging a club and surrounded by the words “Player, Teacher, Humanitarian, Champion.”