Woods moves into share of Akron lead

Tiger Woods was back enjoying himself at one of his happiest hunting grounds today.

Already a five-time winner at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, the world number one was only one off the lead after an outward 33 in the third round of the Bridgestone World Championship.

Eight-foot birdie putts on the fourth and sixth holes lifted Woods to four under par as he, South African Rory Sabbatini and Masters champion Zach Johnson began to separate themselves from the chasing pack.

Woods is trying for another piece of history as nobody in US Tour history has won a tournament three years in a row twice.

Resuming four behind it was a mixture of his own brilliance and Sabbatini's sloppy start that brought him into a tie for top spot for a while.

Sabbatini, two ahead of Johnson overnight, pulled his opening drive into sand, hit a tree with his second and double-bogeyed.

Then, after two-putting the long second for birdie, he dropped another shot at the fourth.

Johnson, meanwhile, followed a 25-footer birdie putt at the third with a bogey on the next after he strayed into a greenside bunker.

However, Woods slipped back to third when first Sabbatini birdied the short fifth and then Johnson converted a 28-foot birdie chance at the sixth.

For a while it looked as though Open champion Padraig Harrington was going to be the player to grab the spotlight.

Joint 15th at halfway the Dubliner climbed into a share of third with Woods with three birdies in his first five holes, but he then double-bogeyed the next and bogeyed the seventh and ninth.

As a result Harrington was back in the same position at which he started the day and alongside him was Lee Westwood, who failed to find inspiration partnering Woods.

The Worksop golfer, who led the European challenge on one under after two rounds, bogeyed the third, sixth and seventh.

Justin Rose took over at the head of the chasing pack for a while, but having climbed into fourth place on his own on one under the 27-year-old double-bogeyed the 13th and fell back to 12th place on one over.

Paul Casey, meanwhile, was three over after a double bogey six at the 11th, where he was twice in the rough and then chipped into a bunker.

Harrington was not overly pleased with how he had played on the first two days, but after all the attention his play-off victory over Sergio Garcia brought he was delighted at how he had dug deep to stay in contention.

Finding form for next week's final major of the season, the US PGA championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, was the first priority and he said: "That is what is keeping me going.

"I've got to stay in there and work hard this week. This could be a major championship course, no doubt about that.

"Certainly the fairways are as narrow as we see and it definitely helps. You've got to hit it right and what's tough about this course is the fairways are firm and not exactly flat, so they're bouncing and anything moving a little bit just bounces into the rough.

"It forces you to hit the golf shots. Certainly off the tee I don't think you'll find a tougher course."

Luke Donald gave his confidence a much-needed boost ahead with a 67, although he was still well down the field at seven over.

Donald, who returns next week to the US PGA Championship a year on from sharing the lead with Woods with a round to go, is back in action after finishing a disappointing 63rd at the Open.

Off on the right foot with a birdie at the 399-yard first, Donald picked up another shot at the sixth and after bogeying the ninth he came home in 33 with further birdies at the 12th and long 16th.