Tiger Woods produced a superb finish to his third round last night to take the lead of the US Open ahead of Lee Westwood. The world number one played the final two holes of his third round in three-under-par, carding an eagle at the par-five 18th to take a one-stroke lead at Torrey Pines.
Woods produced the wonderful back nine despite a knee injury growing increasingly more painful as the day wore on. At the 15th the world's best player looked in a lot of discomfort as he gingerly left the tee box.
With a one shot lead over Westwood and one round to play, few would bet against the American securing his 14th major, but he admitted afterwards that the knee, which was operated on just weeks ago, was getting progressively worse.
Westwood finished two groups ahead of Woods after carding a 70 and, at two-under 211, he was alone in the lead at the time. However, Woods chipped in from the rough at 17, his ball taking one bounce before gently glancing the flagstick and dropping into the cup.
And on 18, Woods split the fairway and launched his second shot onto the green with a fairway wood, grimacing in pain after the shot. It didn't affect him on his putt, as he dropped a 35-footer that was never headed anywhere but the hole.
"It's more sore," Woods said of his leg. "As soon as I get out of here I'm going to put some ice on it.It does affect what I'm trying to do. It acts up on certain shots, I can't say it's a driver and I can't say it's a wedge. Certain shots I just feel it more on."
Woods' closing eagle may have taken the lead away from Westwood, but it didn't take the Englishman out of contention. In fact, while Woods was flashier in posting his 70, Westwood was more steady in his, carding 15 pars with two birdies and a bogey in the par-three eighth where he three-putted.
"I'm very pleased. It's just the position I wanted to be in," Westwood said. "I've played very solidly the first three days and was good today. I've been thinking well out there."
Westwood is one of only three players under-par, the other being Rocco Mediate who shot a one-over 72 and is in third at one-under 212. Mediate had the lead for much of the day and was at four-under after a birdie at 10. He bogeyed 15 and then doubled 15 followed by a bogey at 16 to drop to even-par. A birdie at 17 got him back in red numbers and kept him with a chance entering Sunday.
"I hit my ball really, really good most of the day," Mediate said. "It was in front of me. I missed a couple of shots, but I really liked the way I reacted."
Ireland's Padraig Harrington, shot a disappointing 77 leaving him on nine over.
Phil Mickelson's slim hopes for a maiden US Open victory on a course he has played countless times since his youth were scuppered by an ugly quadruple-bogey nine.
The American left-hander struck four successive approach shots from inside 100 yards to reach the elevated green at the par-five 13th, before taking three putts to complete the hole.
Totally deflated, Mickelson offset a bogey at the par-three 16th with a birdie at the last for a five-over-par 76, ending the day at nine-over-par.
DJ Trahan and 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy are tied for fourth at one-over 214. Robert Allenby, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Robert Karlsson, Hunter Mahan and Camilo Villegas are another stroke back. Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, John Merrick and Mike Weir are tied for 11th at three-over 216.
