Tiger poised to win
ATLANTA — Tiger Woods is 3 shots ahead and one round away from capping his comeback season with a moment that has defined his career: Winning.
Woods yesterday played the most dynamic golf he has all year, with six birdies in his opening seven holes to build a 5-shot lead. He cooled from there with a few mistakes and had to settle for a 5-under 65 and a 3-shot lead over Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose in the Tour Championship.
He has the 54-hole lead for the first time since his last victory in 2013 at the Bridgestone Invitational. He has never lost an official tournament when leading by more than 2 shots going into the final round, and his closing record with the lead is 42-2 on the PGA Tour.
Woods has never been in better position to show he’s all the way back from four back surgeries that once made him fear he might never play again.
“I’ve gone through a lot this year to get myself to this point, and understanding and fighting my way through it,” Woods said. “I’m certainly much more equipped than I was in March because of what I’ve gone through.”
Woods was at 12-under 198, and will be paired for the first time in the final group with McIlroy on the PGA Tour.
McIlroy birdied two of his last three holes for a 66.
“It’s obviously exciting for the golf tournament. It’s exciting for golf in general that he’s up there,” McIlroy said. “But for me, all I can do is concentrate on myself. The game is hard enough without looking at other people. Go out there, take care of my business, and hopefully that’s good enough.”
Rose started the third round tied with Woods, but not for long.
He opened with two straight bogeys before battling back, but the world’s No. 1 player already was 4 shots behind after four holes. He narrowed the gap with a birdie on the 16th as Woods had to scramble for bogey, a 2-shot swing.
Woods has gone more than five years without winning. He also has won enough times — 90 tournaments around the world — to remember how to do it.
“It’s a little more unknown now,” Rose said. “Obviously, his history, his statistics from this point are impeccable. They’re incredible. But he’s human, and there’s a lot on it for him tomorrow, as well as the rest of us.”
Rose won’t be in the final group, but he has plenty on the line even if he doesn’t catch Woods. He likely needs to finish in the top five to be assured of winning the FedEx Cup and the $10 million bonus.