MASTERS Molinari not out of Woods yet despite 2-stroke lead

AUGUSTA (AFP) – Francesco Molinari fired a flawless six-under par 66 on Saturday, seizing a two stroke lead over Tiger Woods and Tony Finau in a thrilling Masters third round at Augusta National.

Italy’s Molinari, the reigning British Open champion, stayed patient through five opening pars as birdies broke out everywhere on rain-softened Augusta.

After birdies at six and eight, he erupted with four straight birdies starting at the par-three 12th – where his tee shot left him inches from the pin.

He methodically rolled in putts of six, eight and nine feet to birdie the next three – and maintained his twoshot edge by getting up and down for par from a bunker at 18.

Molinari, one of five major winners to share the overnight lead, had a 13under total of 203.

‘‘I played the back nine probably as good as I’ve ever played over here,’’ Molinari said. ‘‘So nice to keep another clean scorecard.’’

Woods, who won the last of his four Masters titles back in 2005 and hasn’t added to his tally of 14 majors since his 2008 US Open victory, carded a five-under par 67 for an 11-under total of 205.

He was joined by Finau, who fired a 64 – one shot off the tournament record and matched by two other eightunder rounds from Webb Simpson and Patrick Cantlay.

Woods was also slow to join the birdie bandwagon, opening with four straight pars before a bogey at the fifth.

He responded with three birdies in a row starting a the sixth. At the seventh he stuck his approach a foot from the pin and he rolled in an 11-footer at eight.