Haas or Woods may end slump
What used to be routine felt like a novelty to Tiger Woods.
After four straight birdies on his way to a 5-under 65 at East Lake, the former No. 1 player in the world was introduced Saturday as one of the 54-hole leaders in the Tour Championship at Atlanta. Woods raised his cap in mock celebration, and for good reason.
It’s been more than a year since he has been in this position.
“I think I’ve made steady progress,” said Woods, who has only one victory this year and lost his No. 1 ranking to Vijay Singh. “This is just merely a continuation of it.”
The final round shapes up as a battle of the ages.
Woods was tied with 50-year-old Jay Haas, who recovered from two early bogeys for a 68. They were at 9-under 201 and will be paired together today, two close friends born 22 years apart who haven’t won in a while.
Woods has gone 19 stroke-play tournaments without winning – his longest drought since turning pro in 1996. Haas has gone 11 years and 276 tournaments since his last victory, the 1993 Texas Open.
U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, playing with Woods, also made four straight birdies and had the outright lead until he failed to save par from two bunkers on the back nine. He shot a 69 to drop four strokes back along with Mike Weir (67) and Stephen Ames (70).
Singh’s bid to finish the year with 10 wins – the most since Sam Snead won 11 times in 1950 – crashed with a round of 70 that left him 11 back.
Sorenstam nears fourth straight
Annika Sorenstam moved into position for her record-tying fourth consecutive Mizuno Classic title, shooting a 6-under 66 to take a four-stroke lead into the final round at Otsu, Japan.
The Swedish star, who is trying to match the LPGA Tour record of four straight victories in a tournament set by Laura Davies in the 1994-97 Standard Register Ping, birdied the two par-5 closing holes for the second straight day to finish at 15-under 129.
Japan’s Chihiro Nakajima, tied for the first-round lead with Sorenstam after a 63, had a 70 to drop into second place on the Seta Golf Course.
Jaidee leads Vietnam Masters
Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand shot an 8-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the inaugural Vietnam Masters in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Thongchai had a three-round total of 12-under 204 in the communist nation’s first professional golf tournament. He made eight birdies to take the top spot from Angelo Que, who shot a 70 and fell to second.