• WGC-Cadillac Championship, Round Three

Rory & Tiger climb as Bubba takes control

Bubba Watson wowed the crowd with his pink driver © Getty Images

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Leaderboard

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods launched themselves up the leaderboard at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, but Bubba Watson is firmly in control after three rounds at the Blue Monster.

McIlroy threatened a 59 at one stage before settling for a 65, while Woods shot a 68. But they both trail Watson who gripped it and ripped it on his way a 67 - which leaves him three clear on 17-under.

Watson began the day one shot ahead of Justin Rose and although the left hander was pegged back at one stage, he powered ahead on the back nine. Watson's card was filled with colour. He started with an eagle on the first, birdied the second - and others followed at five, seven and eight. He is exciting to watch and some wayward play on four and nine cost him shots.

Birdies on 12 and 14 handed him a cushion and a huge slice of luck on 16 ensured he would take a lead into Sunday. He caught a bunker shot thin and the ball looked destined to find water beyond the green, but the ball flew straight into a TV gantry. A failure to get up and down cost him a shot, but it could have been far worse and he finished with two pars to sit three shots ahead.

While Watson was the height of excitement, Rose plotted his way round superbly and a solid round of 69 kept him in hailing distance at 14-under. USPGA Champion Keegan Bradley is firmly in the mix at 14-under following an excellent round of 66 and he will be in the final group on Sunday.

Peter Hanson came within one rotation of holing a bunker shot for a three on 18, but he had to settle for a par which took him to 12-under. He will play alongside Rose on Sunday.

Rory McIlroy powered forward, but he may well reflect on his 65 as a missed opportunity. The world No. 1 had 59 on commentators' lips when turning in 30, but things got a little ragged come home. He made a blistering start by chipping in for a birdie on the second and that sparked a run of seven birdies in his opening nine holes.

Things got better on 10 as a brilliant approach to the par five left him with a 12-foot eagle putt which he promptly drained. A further birdie at 12 moved him to within one shot of the lead at that stage, but he bogeyed 14 and 16 to leave him at nine-under for the tournament.

Tiger Woods drew alongside McIlroy courtesy of a 68, but like the world No. 1 he may well reflect on missed opportunities. He started with purpose, as birdies on the first three holes sent him climbing the leaderboard. For all the quality, he was at times wayward with his irons and he needed a brilliant bunker shot to rescue a par on five.

His round threatened to unravel around the turn as he bogeyed eight and sent his tee shot on nine into the water. But he escaped with a par after chipping in from the rough. A birdie followed on 10, against thanks to a glorious burner shot. He bogeyed two of the three par fives after some errant play and a wild tee shot on 14 cost a further shot, but he regrouped coming home and a brilliant three on the fiendishly difficult 18th thrilled the crowd.

Matt Kuchar and Zach Johnson are just about in touch at 11-under, while Luke Donald, Charl Schwartzel and Martin Kaymer fill out the group on nine under.

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