As if fate had decreed it, Tiger Woods worked
his way into the position he likes most - at thetop of the leaderboard - heading into the finalround of the US Masters in his quest to becomethe first player to hold all four professionalmajors at the one time.
While history beckons, however, he doesn't haveto look over his shoulder too far to see theplayers waiting to ambush that ambition. PhilMickelson, the world number two, goes into thefinal round just one shot behind him, while MarkCalcavecchia and Chris DiMarco are also withinstriking distance two shots back.
On occasions yesterday, it appeared that manycontenders were pressing the self-destructbutton. Mickelson, for example, had a double- bogey at the 14th hole but, as we've come toexpect from him, he bounced back from adversityto close out with birdies at his final twoholes.
In fact, even David Duval, in a group that alsoincludes Ernie Els and Angel Cabrera three shotsbehind the leader, isn't ready to allow Woods astroll to the only major he doesn't currentlyhold in his grasp. "I don't just want to have achance, I want to win. The people who are aroundme is of no consequence, although, should I goon to win, it would be nice to look back and seethat Tiger, Phil and Ernie were among thosechallenging," said Duval.
It may sound a bit like wishful thinking fromDuval, but there was a steely intent behind thewords. These guys aren't ready to roll over andlet Woods get his hands on the trophy tooeasily.
Woods, however, was the coolest man on theAugusta National course yesterday. Intemperatures that nudged towards the mid-80s, heproduced a third round 68 for 12-under-par 204,which was sufficient to put him into the drivingseat.
He started his round with six successivepars and his only birdie of the front nine cameat the seventh. On the homeward run, it was adifferent story as he picked up four birdies anda solitary bogey at the 12th to take the leadgoing into the final round.
The impetus for Woods' charge came with a birdieon the 13th, the start of a hat-trick of birdiesthat finished at the 15 the, where, having goneover the back in two, he "hook spun" a wedge totwo feet for a tap-in birdie.
Woods refused to accept that it would be a head- to-head between himself and Mickelson, rankedone and two in the world respectively. "Phil's agreat player and we both have a wonderful chanceto win, but it is not just myself and Phil. Ifyou look at the leaderboard, there are some guyswho've won tournaments all around the world.It's not going to be easy."
And, yet, there is an inner-confidence, like anaura, surrounding Woods. "I know what thedangers are out there. If you slip up a littlebit, hit a marginal shot that goes the wrongway, anything can happen," he said.
Mickelson has yet to win a major, and he wasequally bullish after his third round 69 abouthis chances. "I've gone head-to-head before withTiger and I have confidence I can prevail. Myball striking has improved to the point where Ineed it to be going into the last round of amajor," claimed Mickelson.
Although Woods is the man with destiny in hisown hands, others aren't backing off - all ofwhich promises an intriguing final round inWoods' quest to make history. "I'm not eventhinking about it," insisted Woods. "All I'mthinking about is my swing!"
For the two Irish players, it proved to be adisappointing day from one that had promised somuch. Darren Clarke turned a good round into amoderate one, shooting 72 for five-under-par 211and tied 16th place, heading into the finalround, while Padraig Harrington also had a 72,for level par 216, leaving him in tied-32ndplace.
Having played wonderfully well most of hisround, Clarke's hopes of making a Sundaychallenge for the green jacket were effectivelyruined over the final three holes which includedtwo double-bogeys.
"I'm definitely out of itnow," admitted a down-heartened Clarke. "If I'dparred the last three holes, I would have beenin with a real chance. I was cruising all day,made a couple of mistakes and paid thepenalty."
In actual fact, Clarke was nine-under par forthe tournament - at that stage three shots offthe pace being set by Cabrera - standing on the16th tee, having reached the turn in 33 and thenadding another birdie at the 14th.
On the 16th,though, he made the fatal error of aiming rightof the pin. "It was nine inches from beingperfect," insisted Clarke. Instead, it droppedinto the bunker and left him with a horrendousshot to a flag perched on a downslope. The ballrolled to the opposite side of the green, and hethree-putted for double.
At the final hole, his tee-shot found the giantfairway bunkers from where all he could do wassplash out some 30 yards short of the green.
From there, the pitched to 15 feet, raced hisfirst putt three feet by the hole and missed theone back for an expensive double-bogey.
Meanwhile, Harrington had what he termed a"roller-coaster" round, that featured fivebirdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey. Healso had three three-putts, two of them fromjust off the fringe.
"That was like throwingthree shots away," said the Dubliner. "I wasvery aggressive, which probably contributed tothe roller-coaster nature of the round, and I'vegot to regroup for the final round. I need toget my focus going again."