Golf: Woods three clear with nine to play

AUGUSTA, Georgia - Tiger Woods was poised to clinch his ninth major title on Sunday after preserving his three-shot lead with nine holes to play in the US Masters golf championship final round.

Birdies at the first two holes had put him four shots clear before he slipped back with a three-putt bogey at the par-four fifth.

Although the three-times champion also birdied the par-four ninth to reach the turn at 13 under, playing partner Chris DiMarco also picked up a shot there to keep Woods' lead at three.

Three ahead of the field after completing a seven-under-par 65 earlier in the day in the weather-delayed third round, Woods remained in command at a sun-baked Augusta National.

DiMarco was alone in second place at 10 under with defending champion Phil Mickelson, after 10 holes, and 2003 winner Mike Weir, after 11, a further four strokes back in a share of third.

Woods hit his wedge approach at the par-four first to seven feet before holing out from 10 feet at the par-five second, despite finding a bunker off the tee and the first cut of rough to the right with his second shot.

Regulation pars followed at the third and fourth before Woods, wearing his traditional last-day red shirt, three-putted the par-four fifth to slip back to 12 under.

However, he struck his approach to just seven feet at the ninth hole to pick up his third shot of the round.

Tom Lehman, the US Ryder Cup captain for next year, held the clubhouse lead at one-under 287 after closing with a 69.

With the world No 1 ranking at stake, however, the destiny of the 69th Masters was in Woods' hands.

The 29-year-old American, who has not won a major since the 2002 US Open at Bethpage, would dislodge Fiji's Vijay Singh at the top of the global pecking order by clinching his fourth green jacket.

It would also put him level on nine majors with fellow American Ben Hogan and South Africa's Gary Player in the all-time listings.

Despite opening with a two-over-par 74 in the thunderstorm-hit first major of the year, Woods swept to the top of the leaderboard with scores of 66 and 65 in the next two rounds.

His sparkling 65, joint best score of the week, included a record-equalling run of seven birdies from the par-four seventh.

Triumph at Augusta National on Sunday would end Woods' barren run of 10 majors since the 2002 US Open, the same year he parted company with swing coach Butch Harmon.

- REUTERS