Woods in control in Michigan

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A last-hole double bogey from Michael Letzig handed control of the Buick Open to Tiger Woods in Michigan on Saturday.

A last-hole double bogey from Michael Letzig handed control of the Buick Open to Tiger Woods in Michigan.
World number one and two-time Buick Open winner Woods began the day in a tie for fifth place, four shots behind Australia’s John Senden, whose second-round 66 had left him topping the halfway leaderboard at 14 under par, two shots clear of American Letzig at the 7,127-yard par-72 Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc.
A 71 from Senden allowed Letzig to take charge before a poor greenside bunker shot at 18 led to a six on the par-four closing hole for a third-round 68, leaving Woods, who had earlier completed a seven-under 65, with a one-shot lead heading into the final round.
Woods, who rebounded from an opening 71 with a 63 yesterday, will start the fourth round at 17 under par, one clear of Letzig, with Senden at 15 under.
Americans Matt Bettencourt and Vaughn Taylor were tied for fourth at 14 under while compatriots Charles Warren and Jimmy Walker held a share of sixth place with Australian Greg Chalmers at 13 under.
Woods had started strongly with birdies at the second, third and fourth holes before a bogey slowed his progress at the par-three eighth as he went out in 33.
Although four birdies on his inward nine of 32 represented a better return, the world number one said he was happier with his front nine.
“Today was a scoring day,” Woods said. “I hit it good on the front nine, on the back nine I hit some loose shots and was just scrambling and trying to keep pace because those guys were just making birdies everywhere.”
Two of Woods’ birdies at the par-five 13th and 16th holes typified the scrambling effort following errant tee shots, while his par on the par-four 18th was achieved despite bunkering an approach shot from the tree-lined 10th fairway.
“Well, you’re not supposed to be doing that,” he added. “You know, this golf course is pretty short. So you have to take advantage of the holes, and I did that, but unfortunately I didn’t do it the correct way.”
He joked: “It was on the fairway – someone else’s fairway – twice on the back nine. So it was an interesting back nine, but I came out well.”
There was a seven-way, all-American tie at 12 under with Scott Piercy shooting the low round of the day, a 64, while Ben Crane and Woody Austin got there posting 65s and Bob Heintz a 66.
England’s Greg Owen, the only European to have made the cut, finished with a 70 to reach nine under.
All the third round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour Buick Open, Warwick Hills G&CC, Grand Blanc, Michigan, United States of America.
(USA unless stated, par 72):
199 Tiger Woods 71 63 65
200 Michael Letzig 67 65 68
201 John Senden (Aus) 64 66 71
202 Vaughn Taylor 65 68 69, Matt Bettencourt 70 67 65
203 Charles Warren 70 65 68, Jimmy Walker 70 64 69, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 66 68 69
204 Ben Crane 68 71 65, Bill Lunde 68 65 71, Marc Leishman (Aus) 67 69 68, Woody Austin 68 71 65, Scott Piercy 70 70 64, Bob Heintz 70 68 66
205 Jeff Klauk 66 70 69, Bill Haas 68 68 69, Billy Mayfair 68 68 69, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 65 69 71
206 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 67 69 70, Mark Brooks 69 66 71, J.P. Hayes 68 71 67, James Nitties (Aus) 65 70 71, Matt Harmon 68 68 70, Kevin Stadler 67 67 72, John Rollins 68 71 67, Brett Quigley 71 69 66, Tim Petrovic 69 67 70, Leif Olson 68 67 71
207 Tim Herron 67 70 70, Neal Lancaster 67 70 70, Brian Gay 71 69 67, David Duval 69 71 67, Tom Pernice Jnr. 67 69 71, Greg Owen (Eng) 68 69 70, Matthew Jones (Aus) 68 68 71, Brian Vranesh 65 75 67, Chad Campbell 68 71 68, Paul Goydos 66 70 71, Jim Furyk 69 69 69, Roland Thatcher 70 64 73, Troy Matteson 66 69 72
208 Charlie Wi (Kor) 68 70 70, Nick Watney 69 69 70, Kevin Na 69 69 70, Justin Leonard 72 67 69, Mark Hensby (Aus) 68 72 68, Jason Day (Aus) 74 66 68
209 Kris Blanks 69 68 72, Chris Stroud 67 71 71
210 Jonathan Kaye 70 67 73, Tom Byrum 67 73 70, Heath Slocum 70 70 70, Nathan Green (Aus) 69 70 71, Corey Pavin 66 73 71, Jonathan Byrd 69 71 70, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 69 67 74, Jason Gore 70 69 71, Jason Bohn 68 70 72
211 Michael Bradley 70 65 76, Kent Jones 70 69 72, Aron Price (Aus) 69 68 74, Jeff Quinney 69 67 75, Steve Lowery 63 75 73, Darron Stiles 68 71 72, Bob Estes 70 70 71, Mark Calcavecchia 69 69 73
212 Spencer Levin 70 70 72, Craig Barlow 70 69 73
213 Guy Boros 70 70 73
214 Patrick Sheehan 69 71 74
215 Carlos Franco (Par) 71 69 75
216 Rocco Mediate 68 69 79

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