Reuters - Tiger Woods edged ominously to within a shot of leader David Howell at the HSBC Champions Tournament after a third round 67 at Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, China.
The World Number One will go into the final round breathing down Howell's neck after starting his third round two behind Englishmen Howell and Nick Dougherty.
A four under par 68 from Howell moved him to 16 under par 200, preserving his slender advantage over Woods at the the $5 million event which marks the official start to The 2006 European Tour International Schedule.
"Considering this is the biggest event Asia's ever had it would be very special to win," said Woods. "I just hope I can get the job done tomorrow."
Certainly Howell is relishing the opportunity to learn from his last direct experience of the Woods phenomenon. The American and Englishman were paired in the third round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National in April and the World Number One shot 65 to Howell’s 76 on his way to capturing another Green Jacket.
Howell, who won his second European Tour title – the BMW International Open - in August, was flattered to be described by Woods on television as a ‘cool dude’, and praised for the improvement the American has seen in his game.
“Did he say that? That’s very nice of him to talk about in a nice way. Cool” smiled Howell. “I don’t know him overly well. I’ve played with him a couple of times and had dinner with him a couple of times but he seems like a pretty cool guy himself and he handles himself well.
“I guess in the last five minutes I’ve just experienced what Tiger might experience almost every day of his life with the autographs and the chaos that surrounds him all the time. I was getting frustrated after five minutes, so that brings it home to me just how well he handles himself, and has done so for many years now. He’s a class act and we’re lucky to have him as our Number One player.”
Woods commented: “David is a cool dude. We get on quite well so it will be fun tomorrow. I’ve got to know him over the last few years and he’s a great guy, a wonderful competitor. We’ll go out there tomorrow and give it our best.
“He’s certainly worked on his game. You can see how hard he works on his game, all the hours he puts in after a round of golf. You’re going to improve when you put in that time.”
Australia's Nick O'Hern had a bogey free 67 to give the left-hander a share of second place with Woods after 54 holes and the three leaders will play together in the final group with the glittering prize within the grasp of all.
Woods had been furious with himself for several loose shots on Friday and he took three putts from less than 15 feet to bogey the par four ninth for the second time in three days.
The American made a charge on the back nine with birdies on the 11th and 12th before rolling in a 25 foot eagle putt on the 14th to close the gap on Howell to one shot.
But with some 2,000 fans crammed around to watch Woods in his first official tournament in China, he bogeyed the 464 yard 15th after pushing his drive and finding a sand trap from the rough.
The ten time Major winner missed a golden chance on the par three 17th where a four footer slipped by the cup before making his fifth birdie at the last.
Howell, who made his solitary bogey on the eighth, holed a succession of huge putts on the seventh, ninth, tenth and 13th to propel him into the outright lead, but felt aggrieved at missing short ones on the first and last holes.
Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant moved to fourth at 12-under after a finishing with three straight birdies in a 69. US Open champion Michael Campbell fired a 69 to move the New Zealander up to joint fifth on 11 under along with Dougherty, who shot a 73 and Denmark's Thomas Björn, who had a 69. Fiji's World Number Two Vijay Singh fired a 70 to go eighth on ten under.
European Number One Colin Montgomerie carded a 68 to finish on three under par but complained of fatigue after his exertions in winning a record eighth order of merit title. "There's no gas in the tank," grumbled the Scot after bogeying his last hole at the ninth.
