Woods primed for final-day charge

12 April 2012

Tiger Woods prepared to defend his incredible 54-hole major record at Torrey Pines on Sunday with Englishman Lee Westwood determined to upset the odds and claim his first major success.

Woods, who led by one from Westwood going into the final round, has entered the final round of a major with at least a share of the lead 13 times and won every time. That meant Westwood and the rest of the contenders were facing a tall order, but at least it appeared that they had a chance if the early scores were any indication.

Heath Slocum went out early and carded a six-under 65 to get to four-over 288. He had three birdies on each half of the course in an impressive bogey-free round.

Retief Goosen, a two-time US Open champion, was another player who found success in the early going at Torrey Pines.

Goosen started his round with consecutive birdies and had his only bogey on the front nine at the sixth. He birdied the ninth and 10th and after a bogey at 11 he fired another birdie at 13. He gave a shot back at 16 but finished with a flourish and recorded an eagle on the par-five 18th.

Goosen finished with a four-under 67 to get to five-over 285, where he was joined by American Stewart Cink, who also carded a 67.

Jesper Parnevik finished with a four-over 75 and was in at 17-over 301. The Swede was hardly alone in struggling as Paul Casey managed just a two-over 73 to finish the tournament at 14-over 298. Vijay Singh joined Casey at 298 after a 73 as well.

Open champion Padraig Harrington, who will have to wait until Royal Birkdale to see if he can add a second major championship to his resume, was three over for his round after consecutive bogeys at the 11th and 12th.

Harrington started his round with six pars before a bogey at the seventh. He then got his round going late, firing birdies at the 14th, 15th and at 18 to close his round of even-par 71 and finish at nine-over 293.

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