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Woods builds a solid 4-shot lead

Shanghai Daily, March 11, 2013

• Tiger Woods had one tee shot get stuck in a palm tree, but it was about the only thing that went wrong for him in the Cadillac Championship on Saturday in Doral, Florida.

  Woods made seven more birdies on the Blue Monster, the last one from 15 feet on the 18th hole that gave him a 5-under 67 and a four-shot lead over Graeme McDowell heading into the final round.

  Phil Mickelson, who badly wanted to get into the final group, overcame a three-putt from 4 feet for double bogey on the third hole by making four birdies the rest of the way. He had a 69, along with Steve Stricker, and both were five shots behind in a tie for third.

  Woods has made 24 birdies and taken only 74 putts through three rounds, both personal bests in his US PGA Tour career.

  It put him in great position to win his 17th career World Golf Championship, and his first since 2009.

  He has a 39-2 record when he has the outright lead going into the final round on the tour.

  McDowell was six shots out of the lead with three holes to play when he tried to keep it close. His drive on the 16th finished just over the green, and he chipped in for eagle.

  He picked up another shot on the 17th when Woods' tee shot embedded high into the trunk of a palm tree. Once his ball was identified, he took a penalty drop and made bogey.

  "After I made birdie on 15, I was looking pretty good with a six-shot lead, and with a drivable par 4," Woods said. "Two holes later, it's now cut down to three. I piped a tee shot down there, hit a little 9-iron and was able to pour that putt in."

  Mickelson was left with regrets from his round.

  "I threw away five or six shots on the greens and around the greens, and I feel like I don't have to play too much different," Mickelson said. "I just can't afford to give away those shots. I'm going to have to play a round like I played at Pebble last year, something in the low 60s."

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