Late mistakes cost Woods

Tiger Woods dropped two shots in the last three holes for the second day in succession to lie two off the lead in the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte.

Woods bogeyed the 17th and 18th just before play was suspended due to the threat of lightning with only four players left on the course.

The world number one carded a third round of 70 to finish nine under par, two shots behind leader Zach Johnson.

Former Masters champion Johnson was 11 under and playing the 18th when play was suspended, with playing partner George McNeill 10 under but facing a battle to save par after finding a fairway bunker off the tee.

“I hit the ball better today but to bogey the last two holes with two seven irons is not the way you want to finish,” Woods said.

“But I have a shot going into tomorrow. I hit some good shots on the back nine which was nice to feel.

“We’ll see what the weather holds tomorrow and how much rain we get. These greens are getting really, really dicey.”

Woods began the day one off the pace and was two behind at the turn after three birdies and two bogeys on the front nine.

Birdies at the 10th, 12th and 15th gave the American a share of the lead before another disappointing finish left him with work to do.

Johnson had earlier recovered from two early bogeys with a hat-trick of birdies from the sixth, and three more birdies on the back nine gave him the outright lead.

New Zealand teenager Danny Lee unfortunately matched Woods’ finish to lie five off the lead on six under.

Lee, who won the Johnnie Walker Classic while still an amateur earlier this year, is playing only his second tournament as a professional after joining the paid ranks following his US Masters debut in April.

The 18-year-old picked up four birdies in his first eight holes today and added another at the par-five 15th before dropping shots at 17 and 18.