Woods strikes form to set up final-round duel with McIlroy
As a taster for the Ryder Cup this is mouthwatering. Tiger Woods is three shots clear on 12-under going into the final round of the Tour Championship and seemingly making inexorable progress to his first win in five years.
What makes the scenario yet more delicious here at East Lake is the fact that Rory McIlroy will be in the final group alongside Woods, gifting the golf world a dream showdown a week early.
McIlroy’s 66 was one worse than Woods’s effort, but on nine-under the Northern Irishman will still fancy his chances of a second victory of the season. They will be playing for themselves, of course, but this will have an undeniable US-Europe flavour.
Also flying the blue and gold flag is Justin Rose. He is on same mark as McIlroy following a 68 and is the overwhelming favourite to top the FedEx Cup standings this evening and so collect the $10million bonus, the biggest payday ever for any English golfer.
Rose looks likely to retain the world No 1 position as well and Thomas Bjorn would take plenty of encouragement from that when his team gathers at Le Golf National near Paris tomorrow. Bjorn will also be pleased to see Jon Rahm in fourth and Paul Casey a further shot behind, making it four of the Europe team in the top six.
But how much of a boost would it be for Jim Furyk and the US team to witness Woods, the 14-time major-winner, at last with a title in his hands again. The hype will go through the roof should he break his drought and add substance to the belief that this is one of sport’s greatest ever comebacks.
It seemed almost surreal as Woods went through the first seven holes in six-under. It was if golf had been jammed into a time machine. Playing alongside Woods, Rose did well to keep his focus as his joint-overnight leader quickly moved five clear.
Yet Woods bogeyed the ninth to halt the charge and, although he opened up again with a birdie on the 12th, a bogey on the 16th and his failure to birdie the par-five 18th meant he played the last 10 holes in one-over.