Woods magic leaves rivals reeling
June 15, 2008

TIGER Woods produced three late miracles, even by his own extraordinary standards, to charge into the lead after the third round at the US Open.

On a day when Australians Geoff Ogilvy and Robert Allenby remained on the edge of contention, but Stuart Appleby fell away, Woods moved within sight of his 14th major title with a memorial finish at Torrey Pines.

His left knee clearly causing considerable pain, he shrugged off the injury to hole a monster 20-metre eagle putt at the par-five 13th, and later pitched in for an unlikely birdie at the 17th, a shot that genuinely embarrassed him.

As if that wasn't enough, he stroked home a 10-metre eagle at the final hole to leave his shellshocked rivals in his wake, perhaps resigned to playing for second.

Even with a double bogey at the 1st hole, Woods carded 70 for a three-under 210 total, one stroke ahead of Englishman Lee Westwood (70).

American Rocco Mediate trails by two strokes, with Ogilvy and American DJ Trahan four shots behind, and Allenby among a group five back.

Appleby, who started the day with the lead, appeared to lose his confidence on the greens after an early double bogey, carding a depressing 79 to plunge eight strokes off the pace.

"Boring round of golf, right,'' quipped Woods. "Hopefully I can be a little more consistent tomorrow.''

He has never been beaten when leading into the final round of a major championship, but for most of the third round he was not in the lead, a double bogey at the 1st a terrible way to start.

But he turned things around at the par-five 13th where, after pushing his drive, he found a perfect lie in the trampled rough, and smashed a five-iron to the back fringe, before reading the putt perfectly, stroking it home dead centre.

If that was a pure stroke, his pitch-in from the rough at the 17th was a lucky birdie, when he was really trying just not to make bogey.

"A lot of luck was involved,'' he said.

"The shot on 17, that had no business going in the hole. I hit it too hard. It came out hot and one-hops in the cup. You've got to be kidding me.''

And he also had a piece of luck at the par-five 18th, where fellow competitor Robert Karlsson putted first on a similar line.

"It was nice I saw Robert's putt. I didn't know it broke that much at the end,'' said Woods, who went to school and proved a quick learner.

Ogilvy, who shot 72, has not given up hope of winning, although he spoke before Woods played the final two holes in three under.

"Obviously I'd love to be in the lead, but four shots could disappear in three holes,'' said the 2006 champion.

"The amount of shots isn't as important as the amount of people.''

There are only three players ahead of Ogilvy, but Woods, unfortunately for the Australian, is one of them.

"He's obviously the hardest golfer in the world to beat when he's up in contention. I'm definitely playing well enough (to win).''

Perhaps the only thing that can beat Woods is his dodgy knee. He winced with pain several times during the round, and said afterwards it was "more sore'' than any other day.

"As soon as I get out of here I'm going to put some ice on it,'' he said.

"It does affect what I'm trying to do. It acts up on certain shots. I can't say it's a driver and I can't say it's a wedge. Certain shots I just feel it more on.''

Westwood said he would focus on the job in hand and try to ignore his lofty position on the leaderboard.

"I have been in those positions before,'' Westwood said.

"I have been in contention in majors before. I am fairly level-headed person who sticks to his own game plan.''

The steady Westwood finished with two birdies and just one bogey. Until Woods eagled the final hole, the Englishman appeared to be headed for the overnight lead.

"I hit the ball more or less where I wanted to and putted very well,'' Westwood said.

"Like every US Open you have to hit your spots.''

Westwood is bidding to become the first European winner of the Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970, three years before Westwood was born.

"I know the last European to win was an Englishman, but it was before I was born,'' he said.

Five times in 39 prior starts Westwood has finished in the top 10 of a major. Two of those have come at the US Open - a seventh in 1998 and a tie for fifth in 2000.

"I am playing very well,'' Westwood said.

"I am seeing my shots at the right times and I feel in control of my golf swing and my putting is pleasing me.''

Westwood said playing with Woods in the final round won't affect him. He planned to get a good night's sleep and stick to his normal routine.

"It is not any concern who I am playing with in the last round,'' he said.

"Shooting 70 and being under par and sticking to my game plan all day is what is important.''

Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
1 Tiger Woods USA F -3 72 68 70 210
2 Lee Westwood ENG F -2 70 71 70 211
3 Rocco Mediate USA F -1 69 71 72 212
T4 D.J. Trahan USA F +1 72 69 73 214
T4 Geoff Ogilvy AUS F +1 69 73 72 214
T6 Robert Karlsson SWE F +2 70 70 75 215
T6 Robert Allenby AUS F +2 70 72 73 215
T6 Hunter Mahan USA F +2 72 74 69 215
T6 Miguel Angel Jimenez ESP F +2 75 66 74 215
T6 Camilo Villegas COL F +2 73 71 71 215

T19 Aaron Baddeley AUS F +5 74 73 71 218
T19 Stuart Appleby AUS F +5 69 70 79 218
24 Rod Pampling AUS F +6 74 70 75 219

Final Round Pairings0000 (EST): Rich Beem (US), Andrew Dresser (US)
0010: Chris Kirk (US), John Mallinger (US)
0020: Ross McGowan (GB), Jesper Parnevik (Swe)
0030: Stephen Ames (Can), Nick Watney (US)
0040: Vijay Singh (Fij), Paul Casey (GB)
0050: a-Rickie Fowler (US), Derek Fathauer (US)
0100: Ben Crane (US), Ian Leggatt (Can)
0110: Soren Hansen (Den), Kevin Streelman (US)
0120: Bart Bryant (US), Justin Hicks (US)
0140: Jarrod Lyle (Aus), Alastair Forsyth (GB)
0150: Heath Slocum (US), John Rollins (US)
0210: Padraig Harrington (Ire), D.A. Points (US)
0220: Brett Quigley (US), Phil Mickelson (US)
0230: Matt Kuchar (US), Jonathan Mills (Can)
0240: Justin Leonard (US), Andrew Svoboda (US)
0250: Woody Austin (US), Andres Romero (ARG)
0300: Dustin Johnson (US), Adam Scott (Aus)
0310: Todd Hamilton (US), Rory Sabbatini (RSA)
0320: Michael Thompson (US), Joe Ogilvie (US)
0330: Trevor Immelman (RSA), David Toms (US)
0340: Chad Campbell (US), Steve Stricker (US)
0350: Luke Donald (GB), Carl Pettersson (Swe)
0400: Robert Dinwiddie (GB), Rod Pampling (Aus)
0410: Patrick Sheehan (US), Tim Clark (RSA)
0420: Eric Axley (US), Jeff Quinney (US)
0430: Boo Weekley (US), Anthony Kim (US)
0440: Ryuji Imada (Jpn), Stuart Appleby (Aus)
0450: Scott Verplank (US), MartinKaymer (Ger)
0500: Jim Furyk (US), Aaron Baddeley (Aus)
0510: Davis Love (US), Oliver Wilson (GB)
0520: Brandt Jobe (US), Brandt Snedeker (US)
0530: Ernie Els (RSA), John Merrick (US)
0540: Sergio Garcia (Spa), Mike Weir (Can)
0550: Robert Karlsson (Swe), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa)
0600: Robert Allenby (Aus), Camilo Villegas (Col)
0610: Hunter Mahan (US), D.J. Trahan (US)
0620: Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Rocco Mediate (US)
0630: Lee Westwood (GB), Tiger Woods (US)