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Vijay takes command at PGA Championships
Vijay Singh will take a one shot edge into the final round of the 86th PGA Championships.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:08 AM IST
Read Time:3 min
Kohler:
Vijay Singh will take a one shot edge into the final round of the 86th PGA Championships after the world number three carded a three under par 69 on Saturday. Justin Leonard, the 1997 British Open champion, is one shot behind the Fijian. Five golfers, including Ernie Els are four shots back at eight-under par. World number one Tiger Woods stands well of the leader's pace, at three under par - nine strokes behind Singh. Tiger Woods, who just barely made the cut, played well early. Tiger on the prowl The 28-year-old sank a birdie on the third hole to lower his score to 2-under par. Then Woods showed his skill with his short game, as his approach on the 5th hole spun back perfectly to the hole. The world number one was poised to at least get into the picture until he lost his momentum with the click of a camera on No. 7, then failed to make birdie on the back nine for a 69. He was nine shots behind, and almost certain to end a 10th straight major without winning. Tough task for Mickelson Reigning Masters champion Phil Mickelson - easily the crowd favourite at Whistling Straits - faced a difficult chip from below the hole on number two. The shot settled well within birdie range. Mickelson birdied three of the first four holes in his round. Mickelson joined the leaders quickly, another blazing start with three birdies on his first four holes, a 40-foot par save that he called the key to his round and two more birdies to make the turn in 31, just one shot behind. But he couldn't keep it going, three-putting the 11th from long range and picking up only one more birdie for a 67. At least he still has a chance to become the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1975 to win the Masters and PGA in the same year, and he can break new ground as the first to finish in the top three at all four majors. Padraig Harrington found himself in the bunker on the second hole. But Harrington's well-played sand shot found the cup. With that great shot, the Irishman got his score down to 6-under par for three rounds. World No.2 Ernie Els grabbed a share of the lead at 10-under, when his made birdie on the eighth hole. Els, one of four players with at least a share of the lead at one time on Saturday, narrowly missed four birdie putts on the back nine and it caught up with him when he started missing fairways. Darren Clarke, who seemingly always had a smile on his face on Saturday, hit a near-perfect approach shot on the 11th hole. It came within a whisker of finding the cup for an eagle. Clarke had to settle with a birdie. Stephen Ames was steady on the greens. He made birdie on the 16th hole for 9-under par. Vijay leads Vijay Singh is the leader heading into the final round on Sunday. His birdie on number 16 gave him a momentary lead at 12-under par. A minute or two later, Justin Leonard also made birdie and was all square with Singh at 12-under par. Leonard had a two-shot lead until he made bogeys on the 15th (518 yards) and the 18th (500 yards), two of the toughest par 4s on the longest course in major championship history. But, after the American dropped a shot later, Singh made par on the 18th hole, to hold the lead outright at 12-under par. When his 5-foot par putt disappeared into the cup on the final hole on Saturday, Singh clenched his fist and raised his putter, the most valuable club in his bag. It took him 54 holes to get the lead all to himself, and it could not have come at a better time or a better place for the 41-year-old from Fiji. Singh carded after a 3-under 69 on Sunday. Singh, the 2000 Masters winner, has won the last seven tournaments when he had at least a share of the 54-hole lead, starting with the Houston Open two years ago. (AP)Topics mentioned in this article
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