DOUG FERGUSON

AP Golf Writer

ATLANTA -- Winning the $10 million for the FedEx Cup remains a long shot for Kenny Perry. Winning the Tour Championship became a far greater possibility Saturday after his 6-under 64 gave him a two-shot lead over Tiger Woods.

Perry birdied his opening four holes Saturday to quickly catch up to Woods, then kept bogeys off his card the rest of the way at East Lake to give himself a shot at his third victory this year.

"Four birdies in a row puts you in a good mood is all I can say," said Perry, who was at 8-under 202. "That set the tone for the day."

Woods had a 12-foot birdie putt on the first hole that slid by the cup, and that set the tone for his day.

He missed a half-dozen chances from 15 feet or under, yet his only significant birdies came on putts of 20 and 55 feet. The other was a two-putt on a par 5. He wound up with a 69, his eighth consecutive round in the 60s during the FedEx Cup playoffs, yet this one cost him the lead.

"I got fooled a few times there," Woods said, confused by the slope and grain on the greens.

Perry will be in the final pairing with Woods, and even though he has a two-shot lead, he is approaching Sunday as though he has nothing to lose and even playfully challenged the world's No. 1 player.

"Here I am at 49, I'm still trying to beat him," Perry said. "I have fun with it. He'd better bring his 'A' game is all I've got to say."

For Perry to win the FedEx Cup, he would need a victory Sunday and for Woods to finish in a three-way tie for third or worse. That remains a possibility, given the players stacked up behind them.

Phil Mickelson continued to ooze confidence with his putter and shot a 4-under 66. He was at 4-under 206 along with Sean O'Hair (70).

Padraig Harrington stopping making birdies to offset his mistakes and shot a 71, leaving him at 207 with Steve Marino (67).

Steve Stricker, the No. 2 seed in the FedEx Cup standings behind Woods, got back into the picture, no matter how blurry, with a 66 and was six shots out of the lead.