Woods trails O'Malley by six shots after three
rounds
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - A struggling Tiger Woods still
has a shot at winning on a third continent this year, but it's
a longshot.
Woods, whose rounds have gotten progressively worse in the
Australian Masters, trails Peter O'Malley of Australia by six
strokes going into Sunday's final round.
Woods didn't capitalize much on O'Malley's par 73 in the third
round over the difficult Huntingdale course. He shot a 72, after
rounds of 68 and 70.
That left O'Malley at 15-under 204 and Woods at 210.
Woods bogeyed two of the last three holes after struggling
with iron shots into the greens.
Coming off a 10-stroke victory in the Asian Honda Classic in
Thailand, Woods is seeking his fifth victory in 14 professional
starts.
"I'm hitting good putts, but they seem to want not to
go in," Woods said. "I'm all around the edges.
"This course doesn't lend itself to hitting the long ball.
It makes no sense to be too aggressive. I just have to make some
putts."
Australian Lucas Parsons, who shared the second-round lead
with O'Malley, shot a 74 for 205 and second place.
O'Malley tops a congested leaderboard where the top 10 players
are separated by only six shots.
"I think anyone up there has a chance if he can get out
of the blocks," O'Malley said. "I've never won in Australia
and it would be special to win this one.
"I'll have to go out there and hit five or six under.
The last two times I've been in this position (at the New Zealand
Open and the Benson and Hedges Open in England) I went on to win."
Parsons had another shaky start, saving par from the sand at
the first hole, and bogeying the second and fourth around a birdie
on three.
Tied for third at 206 were Australians Wayne Grady, who had
a 69, and Robert Allenby, who carded a 70. Australian Peter Lonard
fired his third successive 69 for 207.
Former U.S. Masters champion Larry Mize was tied for ninth
with Woods at 210 after a 72.
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