Woods Suffers Slump In Melbourne

Tiger Woods squandered his overnight three-stroke lead at the Australian Masters after limping home to a par-72 third round in Melbourne.

The world number one had a frustrating day of two birdies and as many bogeys, including one on the par-three 11th.

He is now tied at the top with Australians Greg Chalmers and James Nitties on 10 under par.

Woods' fellow American playing partner Jason Dufner, who led briefly after four birdies, faded to joint fourth.

It looked as though Woods would stretch his overnight lead after a birdie at the second hole that delighted the enthusiastic crowd.

But he bogeyed the next and failed to get to grips with the Kingston Heath links course, with the task made harder by windy conditions.

It was a mixed outward nine holes for Woods, who missed a five-footer for a birdie on the sixth as Dufner joined him in the lead after three birdies in four holes.

Dufner sunk a 25-foot effort for another birdie at the eighth, forcing Woods to make a pressure 15-foot putt for par to keep the lead to one stroke.

But then Chalmers raced to the outright lead at 11-under after four birdies in his outward nine.

Woods slumped to his second bogey of the round at the par-three 11th after missing the green and then over-cooking his putt to fall two shots behind the lead.

And he was so frustrated after missing a five-foot birdie putt on the 12th, he hit his next driver well to the right on the 354-yard 13th hole.

In frustration, he threw his driver into the ground but it bounced up and into the gallery, where one surprised fan caught the club and returned it.

"That was my mistake," said Woods. "I got hot and let go of the club."

Woods picked up only his second birdie of the day at the 14th when his eagle putt finished within two feet.

And he had a chance to regain the outright lead at the 16th and last holes but again missed relatively easy birdie putts.

"It was reflective of how I warmed up," he added. "I'm very fortunate to be tied for the lead. I played myself into a tie.

"I could have played myself out of the tournament."

Source: BBC