• Players Championship, Third Round

Steady Westwood continues to hold clubhouse lead

Lee Westwood sacrificed accuracy at times on Saturday © Getty Images

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Lee Westwood continues to hold the clubhouse lead at the Players Championship after he posted a two-under round of 70 on day three.

The World No. 4 has moved to 14-under overall after producing a steady - if never spectacular - showing on the penultimate day at the Sawgrass course.

At the start of the play, the omens did not look good for Westwood. Five years ago at the same event, he was tied for the lead through 36 holes - only to card an eight-over 80 that scuppered his chances.

For a spell on the front nine, it looked like Westwood may have been about to throw away the opportunity of glory. He had dropped two shots as he approached the ninth tee - but he recovered to produce a bogey-free back nine.

It was not a stellar day for Westwood, who seemed to sacrifice accuracy for distance off the tee. He was hitting it, on average, five yards further than on the first 36 holes - but he was finding only half of his fairways.

As so often has been the case, it was his iron game that salvaged a round that threatened to go awry. A series of well-positioned approaches - most of which he drained - have left him well-poised to seal a first PGA Tour title of the year.

Robert Allenby stands alone in second place, one shot behind Westwood, after shooting a five-under 67. He is one stroke clear of a three-strong group that are tied for third - Ben Crane, Lucas Glover and Francesco Molinari.

Tiger Woods' game continued to veer between the extremes as he posted a 71 that leaves him four-under overall. As has been the case in each of the tournaments since he made his comeback at The Masters, Woods was occasionally wild from the tee - although his approach work was tidy.

As efficient as his iron play was, he was unable to sink enough putts to challenge the leaders; he has holed just one putt over ten-foot through 54 holes. "I had it going for a little bit. I just need more rounds," Woods insisted. "You don't turn this thing around overnight and then just go out there and play golf."

Phil Mickelson went storming up the leaderboard by signing off on a six-under round that puts him nine-under overall. It might have been so much better for the Masters winner - he reached the turn in 31, but he found life more arduous on the back nine.

"The greens were more receptive this morning and the course evolved like I thought it would in the afternoon," Mickelson said. "The greens are firmer and the balls are hard to get stopped. I don't think the ball is rolling quite as true in the afternoon. I thought I hit a lot of good shots today, similar to August."

Luke Donald is one place behind Mickelson at eight-under, while Sergio Garcia appears to be on the road to recovery. He posted his third successive under-par round, leaving him six-under through 54 holes.

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