• The Masters, Round Three

Westwood holds on to lead at Augusta

ESPN staff
April 10, 2010
Lee Westwood let a five-shot lead slip © Getty Images
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Third round gallery

Leaderboard
Position Today Total
1 Lee Westwood -4 -12
2 Phil Mickelson -5 -11
T3 Tiger Woods -2 -8
T3 K J Choi -2 -8
5 Fred Couples -4 -7
T6 Hunter Mahan -4 -6
T6 Ricky Barnes E -6
T6 Ian Poulter +2 -6

Lee Westwood held off a late charge from Phil Mickelson to take a single-shot lead into the final day at the Masters at Augusta.

Westwood and Ian Poulter held the lead going into the third round, but while Poulter slipped down the field after struggling to settle into his rhythm, Westwood looked to be cruising as he stretched his lead to five shots.

But back-to-back eagles at the 13th and 14th , followed by a birdie on the 15th saw Mickelson storm into contention, and he briefly took the lead, but a bogey on the 17th saw him move back to 11-under.

Westwood found the bunker on the final hole, but held his nerve with a tricky final putt to take a single-shot lead into the final day.

World No. 1 Tiger Woods was far from consistent, hitting five bogeys and seven birdies as he remained within four shots of the lead. He was one-over for the day after 12 holes, but three straight birdies helped him stay in the running.

"I was fighting all day," Woods said. "My warm-up wasn't very good and I was struggling there. I struggled for pace on the greens. It was a tough day. I wanted to put myself in contention and I did that and with a good round tomorrow you never know."

First round leader Fred Couples, who dropped down the field on Friday after four bogeys on the final five holes to card a second-round 75, bounced back with a birdie-eagle on the back nine to card a 68 to move to seven-under.

Poulter's two-over 74 saw him slip down the leaderboard. He is joined on six-under by Americans Hunter Mahan and Ricky Barnes.

American Jerry Kelly moved up to three under after an impressive 67, but three bogeys on the last three holes saw world No. 2 Steve Stricker move in the opposite direction, ending the third round on four-over.

Robert Karlsson failed to hit a single birdie as he slipped down the leaderboard to four-over after carding a 77.

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