Graeme McDowell just about kept Tiger Woods in his sights after he matched the world number two’s 68 in the third round of the Chevron World Challenge in California to trail by four shots going into the final round.
For the first time this year, Woods strung together three good rounds with the quality of his ball-striking and the coolness of his course management suggesting he is back to his best and ready to claim his first tournament win since the 2009 Australian Masters
Woods opened with a sparkling seven-under-par 65 on the undulating Sherwood Country Club layout and followed up with a 66 and 68 to lead the elite field of 18 in 17 under.
While the former world number one has taken great pains this week to say he is still a work in progress after enduring his worst season as a professional, his peers have been much more forthright.
“His short game and putting is superb, as always,” said McDowell, who played alongside Woods in the third round.
“He barely missed a fairway, and that’s more like him of course. When the long clubs start misbehaving, that’s when he gets into trouble but today he controlled the ball well.
“It was great to play alongside the best player that’s ever played. It's good to see him playing well.”
Boosted by a three-birdie run on the front nine and two more in the last three holes, Woods closed in on his fifth victory at his own event. He struck a superb eight-iron approach at the par-four last to within a foot, sparking huge roars from the gallery watching from the natural amphitheatre below the imposing clubhouse.
McDowell also made three at the last, one of five birdies on his card, with a single bogey coming at the seventh.
Rory McIlroy’s challenge continues to be thwarted by problems with his short game, with the 21-year-old coming to grief at the 18th hole for a second straight day.
After running up a double-bogey six on Friday he went one worse last night after he left his third shot in the bunker before three-putting for a seven.
McIlroy also carded a double bogey on the ninth, but a run of four straight birdies from the 12th brought him to 10 under. He had further birdies chances on 16 and 17 before his nightmare on the closing hole saw him sign for a one-over 73, dropping him back to a tie for fourth spot on seven under alongside Hunter Mahan, Sean O’Hair and Luke Donald.
Paul Casey lies in third spot on nine under after a 69, but realistically the Englishman is too far back to challenge Woods and even McDowell might not get near the rejuvenated golfer.
“I’m excited about tomorrow because of the way I’ve been playing,” said Woods after putting himself in prime position to complete his first wire-to-wire victory since the 2006 WGC-American Express Championship.
I’m excited how I’ve been hitting the golf ball and how I’ve been managing my game around this golf course.”
Woods has never lost a tournament in which he has led by at least three strokes going into the final round and he has coped well this week on Sherwood’s lightning-fast greens.
“It was a pretty good day overall. I thought I hit the ball a little bit better than I did yesterday. The greens were tough and a few more difficult pins today so they were tough to get at. But four under is a good score. I tied Graeme today, so no loss between my lead.”