http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Tiger-close-to-ending-drought-3432843.php
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Tiger close to ending drought
Woods one round from 1st PGA win since 2009
Associated Press
Published 11:56*p.m., Saturday, March 24, 2012
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ORLANDO, Fla. — One swing cost Tiger Woods a comfortable lead at Bay Hill. All that mattered to him was his name atop the leaderboard at the end of the day, leaving him one round away from winning on the PGA Tour for the first time in 30*months.
If anything, Saturday showed that it won't be easy in the Arnold Palmer*Invitational.
In two holes, Woods went from a four-shot lead to briefly tied with Graeme McDowell after a bizarre chain of events that featured a young man passing out and a woman screaming, all in the middle of Woods' swing on the 15th*tee.
But he followed the double bogey with a birdie from a fairway bunker on the par-5 16th to restore his lead, and then hung on for a 1-under 71 that gave him a one-shot lead over McDowell going into the final*round.
McDowell didn't make a birdie until the 17th hole, but he was bogey-free on a tough day for a*71.
Woods is 37-2 when he has the outright lead going into the final round, and Sunday will show if he has regained his status as the most formidable closer in*golf.
Woods, who was at 11-under 205, last won on the PGA Tour on Sept. 13, 2009, at the BMW Championship. That also was the last time he had the outright lead at a PGA Tour event after 54*holes.
He has never had a better chance to end the drought than now — in the lead and on a course where he has won a record six*times.
"I enjoy it," Woods said of his place atop the leaderboard. "It means I've played well to get there. It's not like I'm slashing it all over the place and happened to be at 11-under par. If you're in the lead, you've done some good things. That's how I've always looked at it, and it's a nice position to be*in."
Woods has such control of his golf ball that he went 35 consecutive holes with a putter in his hand for a birdie*attempt.
The last time Woods and McDowell played in the final group of any tournament, McDowell rallied from four shots behind and beat Woods in a playoff in the Chevron World Challenge at the end of*2010.
"The golf course is going to be the main competitor tomorrow," McDowell*said.
Indeed, it might not be just*them.
Ernie Els rekindled his hopes of getting into the Masters with six birdies in a round of 67 that left him only three shots*behind.
Ian Poulter had a 68 and also was tied for third, while Charles Howell III (68) and Sony Open winner Johnson Wagner (69) were four*behind.
Els played the opening two rounds with Woods and didn't get much out of his game. That changed Saturday during a strong run up the leaderboard that at least gave him a reasonable chance to get into the Masters — and possibly win Bay Hill for the third*time.
The Big Easy is at No. 62 in the world and needs to crack the top 50 after Sunday to get an invitation to*Augusta.
«
Tiger close to ending drought
Woods one round from 1st PGA win since 2009
Associated Press
Published 11:56*p.m., Saturday, March 24, 2012
*
ORLANDO, Fla. — One swing cost Tiger Woods a comfortable lead at Bay Hill. All that mattered to him was his name atop the leaderboard at the end of the day, leaving him one round away from winning on the PGA Tour for the first time in 30*months.
If anything, Saturday showed that it won't be easy in the Arnold Palmer*Invitational.
In two holes, Woods went from a four-shot lead to briefly tied with Graeme McDowell after a bizarre chain of events that featured a young man passing out and a woman screaming, all in the middle of Woods' swing on the 15th*tee.
But he followed the double bogey with a birdie from a fairway bunker on the par-5 16th to restore his lead, and then hung on for a 1-under 71 that gave him a one-shot lead over McDowell going into the final*round.
McDowell didn't make a birdie until the 17th hole, but he was bogey-free on a tough day for a*71.
Woods is 37-2 when he has the outright lead going into the final round, and Sunday will show if he has regained his status as the most formidable closer in*golf.
Woods, who was at 11-under 205, last won on the PGA Tour on Sept. 13, 2009, at the BMW Championship. That also was the last time he had the outright lead at a PGA Tour event after 54*holes.
He has never had a better chance to end the drought than now — in the lead and on a course where he has won a record six*times.
"I enjoy it," Woods said of his place atop the leaderboard. "It means I've played well to get there. It's not like I'm slashing it all over the place and happened to be at 11-under par. If you're in the lead, you've done some good things. That's how I've always looked at it, and it's a nice position to be*in."
Woods has such control of his golf ball that he went 35 consecutive holes with a putter in his hand for a birdie*attempt.
The last time Woods and McDowell played in the final group of any tournament, McDowell rallied from four shots behind and beat Woods in a playoff in the Chevron World Challenge at the end of*2010.
"The golf course is going to be the main competitor tomorrow," McDowell*said.
Indeed, it might not be just*them.
Ernie Els rekindled his hopes of getting into the Masters with six birdies in a round of 67 that left him only three shots*behind.
Ian Poulter had a 68 and also was tied for third, while Charles Howell III (68) and Sony Open winner Johnson Wagner (69) were four*behind.
Els played the opening two rounds with Woods and didn't get much out of his game. That changed Saturday during a strong run up the leaderboard that at least gave him a reasonable chance to get into the Masters — and possibly win Bay Hill for the third*time.
The Big Easy is at No. 62 in the world and needs to crack the top 50 after Sunday to get an invitation to*Augusta.
