Saturday All About Survival: Only One Player Breaks Par on a Cold, Windy Day at Augusta National Tha

Apr 08, 06:03 AM

Current Headlines: By Chip Alexander, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.

Apr. 8--AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods was mad, tired, frustrated, his dark eyes filled with fury.

And Woods had one of the best scores Saturday.

It was a day when the Masters turned into a U.S. Open, when pars were precious, when the golf course was maddeningly tough. It was cold, it was windy. It was day when the world's best golfers splashed shots into the water, gagged short putts, threw clubs, put big numbers on scorecards and walked with heads down to the next tee.

Australia's Adam Scott put it best, saying it was as if there was "a train wreck waiting to happen at every corner."

When the third round mercifully ended, another Aussie held the lead. Stuart Appleby, with a 1-over 73, is one shot ahead of England's Justin Rose and Woods, who was sulking a bit after bogeying the final two holes for a 72.

Appleby's 2-over 218 total is the highest ever to lead the Masters after 54 holes -- Jack Nicklaus and Tommy Jacobs were at 216 in 1966. It's just that Augusta National Golf Club is too firm, too unforgiving this week, and its greens, said former PGA champion Rich Beem, are as hard as a driveway.

Speaking of wrecks, Appleby had one. Through 16 holes, he was 1-under for the tournament. Then came a triple-bogey at the par-4 17th, where he badly pulled his drive into a bunker by the seventh green, played out, hit into the front bunker by the 17th green and then three-putted.

Just like that, Appleby joined all the other sufferers, although he appeared upbeat after a 73.

"That's Augusta," he said. "It's ready to slap you in the head if you do anything wrong."

In the end, Woods' late slip cost him the lead. After a poor drive at the 17th, he tried to corkscrew a slice over the tree line, only to have the ball find the left-front bunker. At the 18th, he was in the middle of the fairway but left his 8-iron approach short of the green. He chipped on but missed an 8-foot putt.

"I was out there plodding along," said Woods, who is seeking his fifth Masters title and third consecutive major championship. "But with the wind, with the greens like this, it was one of hardest rounds ever played here."

Only former U.S. Open champ Retief Goosen could break par, going from last in the field to a tie for eighth after a 70. Woods and Lee Westwood were the only players with 72s.

The average score for the day: 77.35, the highest for the third round since 1952.

For every good shot, there usually was a disaster. Case in point: 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, who eagled the par-5 13th, then took a 9 at the par-5 15th after pumping two shots into the pond in front of the green.

Tim Clark and Brett Wetterich, who shared the second-round lead at 2-under 142, both faded. Wetterich triple-bogeyed the par-4 third hole on his way to an 83. Clark, a former N.C. State All-America, had eight bogeys and nary a birdie in falling to an 80.

The good news for Clark: He's just four shots back. How many players can say that after shooting an 80 in a major?

Temperatures in the low 50s and wind gusts of 25 to 30 miles per hour had everyone shivering. Those behind the ropes bundled up. For the players, as Lucas Glover said after a 79, "It was a day of survival."

Defending champion Phil Mickelson wasn't complaining after closing at 6-over 222 after a 73.

"I know over par will be the winning score," he said matter-of-factly.

A common refrain in the U.S. Open, maybe. But in the Masters?

Only twice has the final score been higher than even-par 288 -- both more than 50 years ago. Sam Snead finished at 1-over 289 in 1954, beating Ben Hogan in a playoff, and Jack Burke Jr. won in 1956 with a 289 total.

When Woods finished, he was four shots behind Appleby. An hour later, he was one shot back, tied for second and on everyone's minds.

"Tiger Woods always has the advantage," said Appleby, who is paired with Woods today in the final group. "It's obscene that he has that advantage.

"He has more experience than what's left of this field put together. Emotionally, mentally, he's a tough competitor."

Woods is after his 13th career major at 31. Appleby, 35, has eight PGA Tour victories but has yet to win a major. He could be the first Australian to win the Masters.

The winner has come out of the final pairing the past 16 years, but no one is expecting an Easter Sunday shootout.

"It's not going to be a birdie-fest," Appleby said. "It will be a battle of attrition."

Again.

Staff writer Chip Alexander can be reached at 829-8945 or chip.alexander@newsobserver.com.

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