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Melbourne - Tiger Woods's chances of retaining his Australian Masters title all but evaporated in the gloomy rain at Victoria Golf Club after a third round of even par 71 on Saturday left him 10 shots behind leader Adam Bland.
Woods, who has not won a title since claiming the gold jacket at nearby Kingston Heath on Melbourne's sandbelt a year ago, mixed three birdies and three bogeys to leave him on one-under par 212 but missed several putts that could have put him back into contention.
"I hit so many putts that looked like they were going to go in but they finished... about a foot short or hanging on the lip," Woods told reporters.
"I knew they (the greens) were slower than they were yesterday but I'm having a hard time making that adjustment."
Australian Bland, who has held at least a share of the lead since the first round, was involved in a tense battle with playing partner Andre Stolz (72) through the constant rain, and shot a one under 70 for an 11-under 202 to take a three-shot lead over Daniel Gaunt (68). Stolz was third on seven-under 206.
Short of a miraculous recovery combined with a spectacular collapse by those above him on Sunday, Woods will end the year without a title for the first time since he turned professional in 1996.
"I'm so far back that I have to play a great round and I need help, the only thing I can control is going out there and putting a low one on the board," the 34-year-old American added.
"I really haven't putted well this week, if I putted normally and made a couple more shots I'd be right in there."
Spain's Sergio Garcia, who vaulted up the leaderboard in humid, windy conditions on Friday with a six-under 65, found the constant rain and cold on Saturday less conducive and shot a six-over 77 to be tied for 26th on two-over 215. The large galleries who turned up to follow Woods had little to initially cheer as he made bogeys on the par-four second and par-four sixth holes until his tee shot on the par-three seventh landed within 12 feet of the pin.
The world number two duly sank the birdie putt to an almighty roar, which reverberated around the course southeast of central Melbourne, from the several hundred fans huddled under umbrellas around the green.
The 14-time major winner bogeyed the par-four eighth, then birdied the par-five ninth but gave the gallery little else to cheer until he almost chipped in from the fairway with his third shot to set up a birdie finish on the par-five 18th.
Leading scores after Saturday's third round:
202 – Adam Bland 65 67 70
205 – Daniel Gaunt 65 72 68
206 – Andre Stolz 67 67 72
208 – Jarrod Lyle 69 70 69
209 – Ryan Haller 71 72 66; Stuart Appleby 71 69 69
211 – Steven Jones 71 72 68; David McKenzie 71 72 68; Geoff Ogilvy 72 70 69; Kieran Pratt 69 72 70; Camilo Villegas (COL) 71 70 70; Lee Won Joon 69 71 71; Anthony Brown 70 69 72
212 – Paul Sheehan 71 72 69; Kurt Barnes 67 76 69; Aaron Townsend 73 68 71; Tiger Woods (USA) 69 72 71
213 – Robert Allenby 73 72 68; Brad Kennedy 68 75 70; Gareth Paddison (NZL) 67 72 74; Peter O'Malley 69 70 74
Selected others:
215 – Sergio Garcia (ESP) 73 65 77
Woods, who has not won a title since claiming the gold jacket at nearby Kingston Heath on Melbourne's sandbelt a year ago, mixed three birdies and three bogeys to leave him on one-under par 212 but missed several putts that could have put him back into contention.
"I hit so many putts that looked like they were going to go in but they finished... about a foot short or hanging on the lip," Woods told reporters.
"I knew they (the greens) were slower than they were yesterday but I'm having a hard time making that adjustment."
Australian Bland, who has held at least a share of the lead since the first round, was involved in a tense battle with playing partner Andre Stolz (72) through the constant rain, and shot a one under 70 for an 11-under 202 to take a three-shot lead over Daniel Gaunt (68). Stolz was third on seven-under 206.
Short of a miraculous recovery combined with a spectacular collapse by those above him on Sunday, Woods will end the year without a title for the first time since he turned professional in 1996.
"I'm so far back that I have to play a great round and I need help, the only thing I can control is going out there and putting a low one on the board," the 34-year-old American added.
"I really haven't putted well this week, if I putted normally and made a couple more shots I'd be right in there."
Spain's Sergio Garcia, who vaulted up the leaderboard in humid, windy conditions on Friday with a six-under 65, found the constant rain and cold on Saturday less conducive and shot a six-over 77 to be tied for 26th on two-over 215. The large galleries who turned up to follow Woods had little to initially cheer as he made bogeys on the par-four second and par-four sixth holes until his tee shot on the par-three seventh landed within 12 feet of the pin.
The world number two duly sank the birdie putt to an almighty roar, which reverberated around the course southeast of central Melbourne, from the several hundred fans huddled under umbrellas around the green.
The 14-time major winner bogeyed the par-four eighth, then birdied the par-five ninth but gave the gallery little else to cheer until he almost chipped in from the fairway with his third shot to set up a birdie finish on the par-five 18th.
Leading scores after Saturday's third round:
202 – Adam Bland 65 67 70
205 – Daniel Gaunt 65 72 68
206 – Andre Stolz 67 67 72
208 – Jarrod Lyle 69 70 69
209 – Ryan Haller 71 72 66; Stuart Appleby 71 69 69
211 – Steven Jones 71 72 68; David McKenzie 71 72 68; Geoff Ogilvy 72 70 69; Kieran Pratt 69 72 70; Camilo Villegas (COL) 71 70 70; Lee Won Joon 69 71 71; Anthony Brown 70 69 72
212 – Paul Sheehan 71 72 69; Kurt Barnes 67 76 69; Aaron Townsend 73 68 71; Tiger Woods (USA) 69 72 71
213 – Robert Allenby 73 72 68; Brad Kennedy 68 75 70; Gareth Paddison (NZL) 67 72 74; Peter O'Malley 69 70 74
Selected others:
215 – Sergio Garcia (ESP) 73 65 77
