Tiger Reaches Final Group: Appleby's Triple Bogey Allows Woods to Pull Within Stroke

Apr 08, 07:50 AM

Current Headlines: By Pete Dougherty, Albany Times Union, N.Y.

Apr. 8--AUGUSTA, Ga. -- An hour before Saturday's third round of the Masters ended, the eye of the Tiger was on how he was going to cut into a four-stroke deficit over today's final 18 holes.

By the time play ended on a chilly, surreal day at Augusta National, that margin was one, and only one player stood between Tiger Woods and the top of the leaderboard.

"I'm looking forward to have an opportunity to win the championship," Woods said immediately after his round of even-par 72. "As of right now, I'm only four back."

Things can change in a hurry at the Masters.

Stuart Appleby, attempting to become the first Australian to earn a green jacket, holds the lead at 2-over-par 218, the highest score for a 54-hole leader in Masters history.

Appleby, who shot a 1-over 73, held on despite a triple bogey on the 17th hole.

Englishman Justin Rose and Augusta resident Vaughn Taylor each had turns at the top but wilted down the stretch. Rose bogeyed two of his final three holes to fall into a tie with Woods at 3-over 219. Taylor dropped shots on each of the last three holes to finish with a 77 and fall into a fourth-place tie with Padraig Harrington (75) and Zach Taylor (76).

Appleby might be the first leader who feels he has to play catch-up with Woods.

"Look, Tiger has always got an advantage," Appleby said. "It's obscene that he has an advantage. It's quite obvious. You don't have to say, 'Wow, look and see that writer, he stepped out on a limb and said Tiger has an advantage.' He has more experience than what's left of this field put together."

That Woods worked his way into the final pairing holds extra significance today. The Masters champion has emerged from that final group for each of the past 16 years.

"A lot of that is because late in the afternoon the wind tends to die down," said defending champion Phil Mickelson, whose 73 put him only four behind Appleby. "On the back nine the weather conditions are perfect, and guys can shoot low rounds. I think that's going to be different (today). There's a good chance that somebody who goes off early and posts a good number can possibly take the title this year."

Appleby began the day three shots behind co-leaders Brett Wetterich and Tim Clark but shot to the top of the pack with birdies on the third and fourth hole. Wetterich shot himself out of contention with an 83, and Clark -- ending a streak of six consecutive par-or-better rounds at the Masters -- carded an 80 but is still tied with Mickelson and six others for eighth.

Woods, who started five behind the co-leaders, was the other player making a big move. He shot a 2-under 34 on the front nine -- same as Appleby -- and was 1 over par for the tournament before taking bogey on the final two holes.

The temperature never rose above 52.

"It was a tough day with the wind gusts," Woods said. "You hit quality shots and just get absolutely hosed. That's just the way it is here."

The scoring average of 77.35 was the highest for a third round since 1956. Retief Goosen, who made the cut by one stroke, had the day's only subpar round, a 2-under 70 that vaulted him from a tie for 46th into a tie for eighth.

"My coach said to me driving out the first day, 'That's got to be the toughest round you'll ever play at Augusta,' " Rose said. "Then after the second day, he said, 'That's got to be the toughest round you'll ever play at Augusta.' And today, I'm waiting for it: 'That's the toughest round you'll ever play.' Until tomorrow."

Pete Dougherty can be reached at 454-5416 or by e-mail at pdougherty@timesunion.com.

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