GOLF: Tiger looking so ferocious
KEITH DUCKWORTH in San DiegoTHE Tiger showed his claws here yesterday - and the rest of the world's top golfers had better watch out.
Ernie Els looks certain to claim his fourth win in five starts at the Johnny Walker tournament in Perth, but 'Big Easy' is likely to find things a lot tougher in the next few weeks as Woods steps-up his return from injury.
The World Number One's injury problems were one of sports best kept secrets last season when benign cysts made his knee inflate like a balloon.
But after surgery and some intensive fitness work Woods is ready to make up for lost time.
Yesterday's impressive 68 left him a shot clear of Brad Faxon at the top of the leader board and ensured a thrilling showdown with local hero Phil Mickelson in today's final round.
A delighted Woods said afterwards: "I'm certainly in position to take a rip at it in the final round.
"My knee felt fine today and I'm looking forward to playing with Phil but I can't just focus on one guy as traditionally others come through the field.
"My irons and short game have been sharp as they are the clubs I was hitting the most in practice and I knew that my driver would be the last club to come around.
"I feel good about my chances as the course is so wet but I need to hit driver all the time."
"Physically when the knee is warm it feels fine. I don't know how it's going to react, whether it's going to swell up or not but if it does I can minimise the problem.
"It feels fine at the moment though and I'm pleasantly surprised."
"It is good to be back and get out there and compete again. That's one thing I really missed.
"I drove it a lot better than I did on the first two days and I shaped some shots the way I know I can.
"It's really hard to go low here and you have to be patient but now I'm looking forward to having a real go."
Woods driving was wayward during his opening two rounds at the spectacular Torrey Pines public course just north of San Diego.
But the way he started yesterday suggests that both his knee and his driver are back to their very best.
He surged into a tie for the lead after helping himself to two birdies from his first three holes and then, at the fifth, provided more proof that he is fitter than ever.
Woods finished in a fairway bunker off the tee, 255 yards from the green with the ball above his feet. The position was impossible for mere mortals, but not for Woods.
His three-wood recovery was incredible with the ball finishing on the green 15 feet from the flag. The fact that he managed to retain his balance was a fantastic achievement, to get the result he did was nothing short of miraculous.
It didn't last as Woods dropped a shot at the seventh hole to surrender the lead and find himself level with local hero Mickelson and a handful of others at the turn.
Mickelson faded in the middle of his round but came back strongly with a birdie at the 13th and a final flourish which saw him hole from the fringe of the 18th green to get to 10-under one behind Faxon who finished with a 71.
At the 18th Woods second shot - a three-wood from 273 yards - ended up in the grandstand after he had become the only player all day to try and reach the green in two.
He took a drop in deep rough, pitched on the green and from eight feet behind the hole holed out to take over the lead.
Mickelson (right), admitted afterwards: "I had a chance to go really low and let it slide but I did manage to get back in it with two birdies on the back side,"
"I'm looking forward to playing with Tiger. He is the best player in the world."
Ulsterman Darren Clarke hurried away from the course after being disqualified.
Clarke signed for a 75. His mistake came at the par fourth 12th where he signed for a par four but, in fact, took a bogey five.
Luke Donald, a former Walker Cup star, finished with a 71 to be on six under par 210, while rookie John Morgan, struggling over the back nine, could do no better than a 74. His final total was a three under par 213.
LEADERBOARD
204 Tiger Woods 70 66 68
205 Brad Faxon 70 64 71
206 Phil Mickelson 69 68 69, Steven Alker 69 67 70
207 Fred Couples 69 68 70, Carl Pettersen 69 68 70, Briny Baird 70 65 72, Jonathan Kaye 68 67 72, Arron Oberholser 68 67 72, Dennis Paulson 65 70 72.
BRITISH SCORES
210 L Donald 69 70 71
211 D Clarke 69 72 74 (disqualified)
213 J Morgan 67 72 74
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