Woods buries field, not putts

Tiger Woods was alone on the far end of the practice green at The Grove as this small village north of London lost the last of its light Saturday, his competition already gone in more ways than one.

He rapped three putts at a time, exasperated as each one slid by the cup, listening to coach Hank Haney offer quiet instruction as some 500 fans stood six-deep behind the railing to watch Woods try to fix a balky putting stroke.

This was after he made eagle on the final hole to stretch his lead to six shots in the American Express Championship at Chandler’s Cross, England.

Despite missing a half-dozen putts inside 12 feet, Woods holed a 35-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole for a 4-under-par 67 that demoralized the 60-man field at this World Golf Championship and left him one round away from his sixth consecutive PGA Tour victory.

Woods finished at 19-under 194, putting him six shots clear of Adam Scott, who had a bogey-free 65.

Jim Furyk made 16 pars and two birdies for a 69, but wound up losing ground and finished seven shots behind Woods.

PGA

D.J. Trahan shook off a double bogey to maintain a two-stroke lead in the Southern Farm Bureau Classic at Madison, Miss., birdieing the final two holes for a 1-under 71 on the Annandale Golf Club course.

Trahan, who has led after all three rounds, had a 12-under 204 total after opening with rounds of 65 and 68. Two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen (67) was second, and Daniel Chopra (68) and Brad Faxon (72) followed at 9 under.

Champions Tour

Andy Bean remained in position for his first Champions Tour victory, shooting a 2-under 70 to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Greater Hickory Classic at Conover, N.C.

Bean had an 11-under 133 total on the Rock Barn Golf and Spa’s Jones Course.

Two-time U.S. Senior Open champion Allen Doyle was second after a 66. Doyle, an 11-time Champions Tour winner, had six birdies in his bogey-free round.