Tiger's Wild Ride: He Hasn't Led Yet, but Tiger Woods is in Today's Final Group

Apr 08, 11:11 AM

Current Headlines: By Rick Nolte, The Macon Telegraph, Ga.

Apr. 8--AUGUSTA -- The first two days of the 71st Masters were all about change.

On Saturday, at least one part of golf's first major championship returned to normal -- Tiger Woods is among its leaders.

Woods posted a par round of 72 at Augusta National Golf Club and benefitted from the third hardest third round in tournament history to join Justin Rose a stroke behind leader Stuart Appleby.

"It was one of hardest rounds I think I've ever played here," said Woods, whose round included bogeys on the final two holes but was still enough to move him past 20 players.

Appleby had a 73 to take the 54-hole lead at 2-over-par 218. The previous high score for a 54-hole leader was 216 by 1966 co-leaders Jack Nicklaus and Tommy Jacobs.

Because Woods posted his score before Rose, who had a 75, the perennial favorite will be in the final pairing with Appleby for today's final round. The tournament winner has come from that group every year since 1991, including four times with Woods, who is seeking his 13th major championship.

Padraig Harrington, Zach Johnson and Augusta resident Vaughn Taylor are tied for fourth at 220. Harrington had a 75, Johnson a 76 and Taylor a 77 that included bogeys on his final three holes. Bradley Dredge had 76 and is alone in seventh at 221.

Temperatures never topped 52, and a steady wind that dropped the chill factor as much as 15 degrees turned the day into a test of survival.

"You had to fight on every hole to make par," said defending champion Phil Mickelson, who had a 73 to move into a tie for eighth at 222 and keep alive his slim hope of a repeat. "It was as tough as I've seen."

The cumulative score for the 60-man field was 77.35, trailing only the 78.56 in 1956 and 77.5 in 1952 as the hardest for a Saturday.

"You feel like you're throwing away shots, when you really aren't," said Stewart Cink, who shot a 75 and moved up through half the field.

Retief Goosen had the day's lone sub-par score, a 70 that shot him from a tie for 46th on the 8-over cut line after Friday's round into the eight-man group at 222.

"You can make 18 pars and move up that board," said Woods, who's seeking his third straight major after closing 2006 with wins at the British Open and PGA Championship. "Around here, that's usually not the case. Usually, you'll lose ground, but not (Saturday)."

And it's not likely in the final round either. The forecast calls for only slightly higher temperatures and slightly lower winds.

"Bogeys are going to be around the corner constantly," said Appleby, who had a sparkling round in place until chopping his way through the par-4 17th hole for a triple-bogey. "With the way this course is playing and the weather, it's going to be a battle of attrition for sure. At least we all know what we're in for."

Tim Clark and Brett Wetterich, who shared the lead at 2 under when the day began, were no match for the 7,445-yard peril pit and went reeling back to the field early.

Clark, the runner-up here last year, lost four shots to par on the first five holes on his way to an 80 that leaves him among those at 222. Wetterich wasn't as fortunate, going out in 6-over 42 en route to a 83 and a 225 total.

Mickelson's hope of joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Woods as the only men to successfully defend this championship likely will rest with a round today that hasn't been seen this week.

"I feel like I have to shoot in the 60s to have a chance," said Mickelson, aware there only have been five sub-70 scores this week. "I think I have to make 14 pars and four birdies. That's kind of the game plan."

Appleby, who set the Masters record for 50 straight holes without a bogey in 2001, doesn't see that happening from many players. The last time the Masters winner finished over par was in 1956 when Jack Burke Jr. had 289 to finish a shot ahead of Ken Venturi.

"I just don't think that you're going to have three, four guys shoot 4-under-par," said Appleby, who's bidding to become the first Australian to win this title. "If they do, they deserve it (title)."

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Macon Telegraph, Ga.

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