Franklin Langham sizes up a putt during the 2007 Utah... (Danny Chan La/The Salt Lake Tribune )

SANDY - As Golf Channel beams the Utah Championship to a national cable audience this week, viewers are bombarded by more than 50 commercial spots from a less-than-enthusiastic Johnny Miller promoting Utah as a golfing destination.
    Didn't state officials know Franklin Langham was available?
    The Georgian still leads the tournament at Willow Creek Country Club this week, and is still saying this is the place for his first victory on the Nationwide Tour since the Rheem Classic in Arkansas in 2004.
    "I love this state," he said Saturday, after a 5-under-par 66 gave him a 54-hole tournament record of 17-under 196 and pushed his lead to two strokes over Richard Johnson of Wales and three over former UNLV golfer Jeremy Anderson and Craig Lile of South Africa.
    Langham was second here in 2004 and has had several other good finishes.
    Specifically, Langham loves the greens at Willow Creek, which is playing as a par-71 this week because the 18th hole has been changed from a par-4 to a par-3. Langham, 39, needed just 26 putts in the third round - he hit just 11 of 18 greens - and rolled in a couple of long ones to put himself in perfect position to take home the $90,000 first-place check.
    The leaders - Langham will be paired with Johnson - will tee off around 3 p.m. today as the tournament accommodates television's request for the latest final-round start in its nine-year history here.
    "I just feel comfortable standing over the ball right now," Langham said. "You see them go in and then you start expecting them all to go in."
    Langham and Johnson said they expect more of the same today, which is to say that the winner will have to go low again - something in the 66 or 67 range.
    "Someone could go out and shoot 64 here in a heartbeat," said Johnson, who will be in the final pairing for the third time this season but is still seeking a win. "We'll have to stay aggressive."
    Johnson hit 17 of 18 greens Saturday. He would be the leader this morning if his putter was working better.
    The three Utahns who made the cut couldn't make up any ground. Farmington's Daniel Summerhays shot 70 and its tied for 55th at 208. Bountiful's Garrett Clegg shot 71 and is also at 208. Layton's Barry Schenk shot 73 and is tied for 64th at 210.
   
    Leaderboard
    Franklin Langham -17
    Richard Johnson -15
    Jeremy Anderson -14
    Craig Lile -14
    Mark Hensby -13
    Vance Veazey -13
    Ron Whittaker -13
    Edward Loar -13

E-MAIL: drew@sltrib.com