• US Open, Round Three

Tiger Woods makes his move

ESPN staff
June 19, 2010
Tiger Woods looked like his old self on Saturday © Getty Images
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The menacing shadow of Tiger Woods will loom large over the field on the final day of the US Open, as the world No. 1 produced flashes of brilliance to move into contention at one-under-par.

Woods started the day seven shots adrift of the lead and he slipped further back thanks to bogeys on two and three. A run of three successive birdies raised the spirits of the world No. 1 and the crowd, but he gave a shot back at the eighth. But from that point on it was vintage Woods, as he powered through the back nine with a swathe of stunning shots.

Woods made just three birdies in his first 36 holes, but he more than doubled that tally in his third round alone thanks to putts like the masterful effort on 17 that brought the crowd to its feet and prompted a huge fist pump.

The par-five 18th saw Woods adopt the aggressive nature of old, as he took on the pin with a three wood and found the middle of the green. The eagle putt came up short, but a birdie secured a round of 66 to move him to one-under.

"I played well," Woods said. "I had to stay patient. I was able to do that and got it together on the back nine. It is tricky because they are moving the tees around. You have to be fluid and adjust."

Woods took the crowd with him on the back nine and he admitted it was pleasing to string a run of good holes together. He said: "It was nice to piece it together to give them something to cheer about. I played myself back into the championship."

As Woods entered the clubhouse, only two players sat above him on the leaderboard and it would remain that way at the close of play. Overnight leader Graeme McDowell suffered a couple of nervous moments on his front nine, but made the turn in 33. The 30-year-old looked calm at the top and maintained his advantage for most of the back nine until bogeys at 16 and 17 ruined a steady day of scoring as he finished on three-under after a third-round 71.

The Ulsterman's playing partner Dustin Johnson holds the lead going into the final day. The big-hitter made an impressive early move with an eagle two at the fourth and, after claiming the only birdie of the day on the seventh, took full advantage of McDowell's late slip to steal the lead with birdies at 17 and 18. Johnson - winner of the AT&T championship at Pebble Beach for the past two years - holds a three-shot lead at the top on six-under after shooting a confident five-under-par round of 66.

As Woods and Johnson made their move, several members of the chasing pack struggled. World No. 2 Phil Mickelson failed to repeat his form from Friday as he followed up his stunning second-round 66 with a 73 to finish on one-over and trail Johnson by seven shots. Ernie Els is one shot ahead of Mickelson after shooting 72.

There was real disappointment for the English trio of Paul Casey, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, who all fell off the pace in dramatic fashion. Casey and Poulter both shot 77 to finish day three on six -over and seven-over respectively, while a 76 from Westwood left him on eight-under - 14 shots back of Johnson.

For much of the day it looked as if Davis Love III would shoot the low round of the day. He grabbed two birdies and an eagle early in his round and carded a 68 despite bogeys on 13 and 14. The round moved Love III to four-over after 54 holes.

Thongchai Jaidee produced the stand-out moment of the third round with a hole in one on the fifth. The ace was the first of the week and the 41st in US Open history. "You need some luck," Jaidee said. "Today, we got lucky on that hole. It is a very good memory for me."

Tom Watson continues to defy time, as the 60-year-old carded his best round of the week. A one-under-par 70 leaves him at six-over for the tournament.

Luke Donald's hopes of moving into contention on the third day were dashed as five bogeys saw him card a 74 to slip back to seven-over. Donald is sat alongside Padraig Harrington who also failed to make any inroads thanks to a 74.

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