Late lapse gives Tiger's rivals a chance

Tiger Woods, the man who loves to lead and normally wins when he does, gave his pursuers hope with a late double bogey in the third round of the American Express World Championship in Atlanta today.

In fact the world number one did well not to triple bogey, holing an eight-foot putt after visiting two bunkers at the 486-yard 16th and finding himself plugged in the second of them.

Woods, defending the title he won at Mount Juliet in Ireland last year and going for an incredible eighth world title in 15 starts, had increased his lead to five with three birdies in his first seven holes at the Capital City Club Crabapple course.

He ended the day two in front of Fijian Vijay Singh, who burst into contention with an eight-birdie 64 spoilt by bogeys on the 14th and 18th.

Leading money-winner on the US Tour this year Singh missed a four-foot birdie putt on the short 13th then failed to hole a five-foot par putt at the next.

At the same time Woods chipped to 18 inches on the long 12th and followed with a 10-foot birdie putt to be three clear again.

But as Woods opened the door again Singh drove wildly right down the last, put his second into sand and failed to get up and down.

Woods, who has won on 19 of the 23 occasions he has held the halfway lead on the US Tour and 33 of the 37 times he has led with one round to play worldwide, finished with a 69 for an eight-under-par total of 202.

Singh is six under and lying third one further back is American Tim Herron. Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Ignacio Garrido are joint fifth after rounds of 69 and 70 respectively, Garcia’s only birdie coming when he pitched to within inches of the flag on the second.

It was Woods’ 31st successive round of par or better in World Golf Championship events, going right back to a one-over closing 71 at the 1999 NEC Invitational. A title he won, almost naturally.