Woods happy out in front

Tiger Woods could take his winnings from 15 World Golf Championship events to an incredible $10m (€8.55m) tomorrow – more than Jack Nicklaus’ total earnings from a 41-year playing career.

Woods held a five-stroke advantage going into the third round of the American Express Championship in Atlanta today.

As others in the 72-strong field came to grief yesterday – most notably Darren Clarke with an 82 – Woods took command with a sparkling 66 at the Capital City Club Crabapple course.

It was the lowest round of the day by two and it continued his domination of the WGC series since they were introduced four years ago.

While nobody else has reached $3m (€2.56m) Woods has pocketed $7,993,333 (€6.84m) – plus $500,000 (€427,860) bonuses in 1999 and 2000.

First prize tomorrow is $1,050,000 (€898,500) and would be the world number one’s eighth world title. Clarke is next in the table with two.

The size of the task for those chasing him is obvious. In his seven-year professional career Woods has now held the halfway lead on the US Tour alone on 24 occasions – and of the previous 23 he has converted 19 of them into victories.

“I have always been able to front-run,” said the 27-year-old. “I would always much rather play with the lead rather than try to make up shots.

“If someone gets off to a good start ahead of you you have the same holes to play and can make birdies in answer.

“I think that is what is nice about playing in the last group and having the lead. You have those shots to play with.

“If you are behind and you don’t get off to a good start you are further behind, but if you are ahead you can still turn it round. It is a nice comfort level.

“Some guys have admitted they get defensive when leading, but what is the worst thing that is going to happen? You lose.

“It is like making a putt. You are either going to make it or miss it, so you might as well give it your best and enjoy being in that situation.”

Joint second on two under par are Americans Rocco Mediate and Tim Herron, South Korean KJ Choi and also Sergio Garcia, who after opening with a 65 to lead could add only a 73.

Clarke, conqueror of Woods in the final of the 2000 Andersen Consulting match play and four-shot winner of the NEC Invitational in Akron in August, fell from eighth to 60th with the second worst score of his professional career.

The Northern Irishman's worst was an 83 in the 2000 US Open at a windswept Pebble Beach and that was under threat when he played the first 11 holes in an embarrassing 12 over par before steadying his sinking ship.

“Wow. What a day,” said Clarke. “I couldn’t have been a shot better. I gave every shot 100%. I drove it poorly and hit the ball terribly.

“It came as a complete shock to the system. I can’t remember the last time I played nine holes in 10 over, but I didn’t go stomping about and it’s not all bad. It’s been a good last month.”

It was a round, however, that leaves Clarke’s hopes of catching Ernie Els - already over £500,000 clear – at the top of the European Order of Merit hanging by a thread.

Justin Rose made a big move in the other direction, up from 54th to 16th with a 69. And that despite a neck problem he feared would force him out.

“I felt terrible and 10 minutes before tee-off was not sure I would play, but I decided to give it a couple of holes,” he said. Remarkably, he birdied them both with putts of 30 and 10 feet.

Rose developed the neck problem at Atlanta Airport on Monday. “I was running up an escalator and felt it go,” he stated. “I have had treatment all week.”

At four over par he was alongside World Cup team-mate Paul Casey (71) and Ireland's Padraig Harrington (73), while Lee Westwood’s 71 put him on three over.

Welshman Phillip Price, level par overnight, triple-bogeyed the second, twice chipping off the green, and finished with a 79 for nine over.

Ian Poulter stands seven over, Brian Davis and Alastair Forsyth eight over, Colin Montgomerie and David Howell nine over and Mark Foster 13 over.

Meanwhile, with Woods and Davis Love turning down the World Cup at Kiawah Island next month, America will be represented by Jim Furyk and Justin Leonard.

Eleven of the 18 exempt nations have been hit by withdrawals of star players.

And in the case of Canada, Zimbabwe and Fiji it means they are not exempt at all and will have to qualify to make it.

Masters champion Mike Weir, former Open champion Nick Price and world number three Vijay Singh have all decided to miss the $3m (€2.56m) two-man event – $1m (€855,000) of it to the winners – and have cost their countries an automatic spot.

Also absent will be former champions Els and Retief Goosen for South Africa, Clarke for Ireland, Montgomerie for Scotland, Garcia for Spain, Bernhard Langer for Germany, Toshi Izawa for defending champions Japan and Robert Allenby and Adam Scott for Australia.