Tiger out of woods, lurks for the kill

Jeff Maggert leads by two and Tiger Woods lurks just four strokes off the third-round pace at the US Masters but the first of the year’...

Jeff Maggert leads by two and Tiger Woods lurks just four strokes off the third-round pace at the US Masters but the first of the year’s four majors remains wide open going into Sunday’s final round.

Seventeen players, including 10 major winners, are within six shots of Maggert’s lead and most of them fancy they have at least a chance of securing victory at Augusta National.

“I know I’ll be in striking distance for tomorrow,” 2001 US PGA champion David Toms told reporters after firing a 70 to finish in a share of third place

at two-under-par 214, level with Fiji’s Vijay Singh. “I’ve had some good stretches this week but I have to gain momentum early tomorrow.

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“My short game has hung in there, and you always have the short-game factor here at Augusta. The guys that bomb it maybe didn’t play that well today.”

Singh, the 2000 champion, was surprised he ended the third round just three shots off the lead after matching Toms with a two-under 70.

“Anybody within five or six (of the lead) has a chance tomorrow,” said the tall Fijian. “I’m surprised I’m only three back today, I thought it’d be more.“The greens are still stopping pretty well and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. But it’ll be a tough day.” Phil Mickelson, chasing his first career major in his 43rd start, believes he will need to shoot a round of 67 or better if he is to have a chance of winning on Sunday. “Being within four shots come Sunday, I’m in striking distance,” said the left-hander after drawing level with Tiger Woods at one-under 215 with a level-par 72.

“My swing feels fine but I think it’ll take five or six under for me (to win).“It’s going to be difficult to shoot five or six under but it’s achievable. “I had a lot of chances to go low today but some unsolid shots led to some birdies and some solid shots led to some bogeys.” (Reuters)