Golf - Masters Update:Some call the Saturday of majors "moving day" but no soothsayer could have predicted the drama that unfolded between the majestic pines down Magnolia Lane at Augusta. Phil Mickelson was at his swashbuckling best but by day's end Lee Westwood is still the man to catch in tomorrow's final day of the 74th Masters.
Mickelson set the place alight when he picked up five shots in three holes on the back nine to reel in what was Westwood's five shot advantage and overtake him at the top of the leaderboard.
In a phenomenal period, the game's elite were picking off eagles and birdies for fun as the swelling crowds were sent into raptures. All around the manicured course pins were being peppered, and in some case the putter wasn't even needed.
Mickelson stormed into the lead on 12 under with back-to-back eagles at 13 and 14 and almost made it three-in-a-row at the par five 15th.
The 2004 and 2006 champion holed from eight feet at the 13th then holed-out his pitch approach at the next from the middle of the fairway. After laying up at 15 he almost spun his lob wedge into the cup but had to settle for an "ordinary" birdie.
In the same period first round leader Fred Couples backed up a birdie at 14 with a pitch-in eagle at the next from the left side of the green. And though he bogeyed the last the laid back 50-year-old signed for a 68 to get back to seven under.
Perhaps the adrenalin finally ran out for Mickelson, for at one point he was like the conductor orchestrating the masses.
In any case he three-putted for the first time this week at the 17th before parring the last with a trademark flop shot and sign for a 67, which left him one behind Westwood.
The overnight leader was the model of consistency on the front nine, especially when compared to his playing partner Ian Poulter, who struggled to find his rhythm in the opening stages and pulled a number tee shots.
Westwood picked up three birdies on the front nine with no dropped shots to get to 11 under, which was good enough to open up a three shot lead on Poulter after the pair started the day joint leaders.
The first Westwood birdie came on the opening hole and a second was added at the short fourth. At the seventh he holed a clutch putt for par then made birdie at the par five eighth after finding the green in two.
Westwood's first dropped shot of the day came at the par three 12th when he and Poulter found the front greenside bunker.
Amid the frantic run of eagles Westwood kept his head and another birdie at the 15th to assume the lead once more on 12 under. He eventually signed for a 68 to lead by one.
Tiger Woods had a strange afternoon where nothing seemed to go right, yet he is only four off the lead.
The world number one's round became very ragged after two birdies in the first three holes. He birdied the par five eighth but also dropped four shots by the time he reached the 10th to leave him five under.
However he picked up further birdies at 13, 14 and 15 before paying the price of a wayward drive at 17. That said he knocked it to within four feet at 18 and knocked it in for a closing birdie.
Woods' third round 70 left him on eight under and alongside playing partner KJ Choi (70) from Korea, who he will now play with for four straight days at Augusta.
“I was fighting it all day out there,” said a somewhat relieved Woods after his round. “I struggled badly with the pace of the greens and was fighting with my swing.”
“I just wanted to put myself in contention and I’ve done that. Overall I still feel pretty good about my game, I just need to tidy it up a little bit.”
“I managed to claw my way back into it and that birdie at the 18th was important. There is still a long way to go as it’s only Saturday.”
Earlier in the day Poulter made back-to-back bogeys at the fifth and sixth before a momentum-boosting 30 foot putt snaked its way across the seventh and found the cup for birdie.
At the next he found trees again off the tee but laid up and fired his third into four feet below the cup and converted a second birdie before reaching the turn in level.
However he dropped off the pace on the back nine when bogeys came at 11 and then made a double at the 12th. He picked up a birdie at 13 and parred the next four but was two over on the day and a 74 left him six under for the tournament.
Jerry Kelly was another significant mover after a five under 67 got the American to three under.
There is no Irish interest at the Masters after Pádraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell all missed the cut.