Third round leaderboard
(Aus unless stated)
-12 J Senden
-11 J Day
-10 G Chalmers
-9 N O’Hern
-9 N Watney (US)
-8 R Haller
-8J Lyle
Click here for collated scores
Day – who turned 24 on Saturday – managed a solid 68 to sit alone in second, just ahead of fellow Australian Greg Chalmers, who signed for a 67.
But, having sat on top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage, Tiger Woods slipped back with a three-over-par 75 that has left him six shots off the pace.
The American suffered a disastrous start with three successive bogeys, then dropped further shots at the 11th and 12th.
He did get one of them back with a birdie at the 14th but it was not enough to salvage a disappointing day for the 14-time major winner, though he could still yet end a title drought that stretches back to the 2009 Australian Masters.
No momentum
“I couldn’t get any momentum,” Woods admitted afterwards. “Any time I hit the golf ball in there stiff, I’d miss it and it kept happening again and again.
“The round should have been easy 71 no problem, I played the par fives bad and I didn’t take care of 13. I was probably over-thinking on the greens a little bit.”
Tiger Woods Quotes of the week
“The round should have been easy 71 no problem, I played the par fives bad and I didn’t take care of 13. I was probably over-thinking on the greens a little bit.”
On his chances for Sunday, he added: “I need to play a good solid front nine and get some momentum going on tomorrow’s back nine, then hopefully I can put myself into position and then I’ll be right there.”
While Woods’ putter was cold on day three Senden simply couldn’t miss the cup; he needed only 23 putts on his way to carding an eagle, which saw him hole out his approach at the sixth, and seven birdies.
“I kicked off well with the birdie at five and holing at six and then tried to stay relaxed on the back nine,” Senden said.
“The course allows you to shape shots into the pins, the back nine especially gives you a chance – anything can happen on those par fives.”
Day looked set to hold a share of the lead until Senden’s stunning finish on the 18th, while Chalmers fired seven birdies to move right into contention.
Nick O’Hern, meanwhile, birdied five out of seven from the fourth and capitalised with an eagle-birdie finish to move to nine under for the tournament, the same total as American Nick Watney (68).
Ryan Haller and Jarrod Lyle are together on eight under, two ahead of Woods and another American in Bubba Watson.
Adam Scott provided a highlight when he holed his second iron shot of the week for eagle on 13, though the Australian is still only on five under for the tournament.
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