Woods on course for record Bay Hill win

Tiger Woods moved within sight of another milestone when opening up a five-stroke lead after the third round at the Bay Hill …

Tiger Woods moved within sight of another milestone when opening up a five-stroke lead after the third round at the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando.

Woods left the field in his wake with a seemingly effortless six-under-par 66 in benign conditions at the Bay Hill course.

Barring an unexpected collapse, he will become just the third player - the first since Gene Sarazen in 1930 - to win the same PGA Tour event four times in a row.

And it would be hard to bet against Woods who is 15-under 201 with one round left.

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"I didn't really do anything spectacular," Woods said. "I drove the ball well all day.

"The times I did miss the fairway, I wasn't in much trouble."

Fellow American Brad Faxon compiled an impressive 65 to move into second place on 206, with countryman Stewart Cink a distant seven strokes back in third place.

The big disappointment of the day was Ernie Els.

The world number two was in the final group with Woods, but any hopes of a titanic showdown quickly faded as the South African struggled to a 72 and plunged 10 strokes off the pace.

Leading British raider Nick Faldo hit top form with a 68 after opening rounds of 70 and 74 and is on four under.

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke is on two under after a 72, Colin Montgomerie is another shot back after a 70 while Justin Rose is at level-par thanks the same score on day three.

PA