Woods offers hope to contenders
Tiger Woods’ expected march to a second Open title failed to materialise at St Andrews today.
Woods held a four-shot lead overnight and his nearest challenger, Colin Montgomerie, admitted the rest of the field were probably playing for second place.
But that looked far from being the case as the world number one stumbled over the opening stretch to give the chasing pack more than a glimmer of hope.
South African Retief Goosen was the first to pose a serious threat, the double US Open champion posting a testing clubhouse target of nine under par after a superb 66.
And when Woods drove into a bush on the sixth for his second bogey of the round, his lead was down to just a single shot.
Woods had already bogeyed the second by three-putting from short of the green, his first dropped shot in 22 holes since the 16th on Thursday.
He scrambled a par on the fourth after missing the green with his approach and then seemed to have got back on an even keel with a two-putt birdie on the par five fifth.
However, a wild drive on the sixth cost him another shot and at 10 under par he was only one clear of Goosen with Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia another shot adrift.
Playing alongside Woods, Montgomerie opened with four pars before chipping to 10ft for a birdie on the fifth.
US Open champion Michael Campbell was safely in the clubhouse on seven under after a 68, while Darren Clarke record a 67 to finish six under.
Clarke fired eight birdies, including an amazing 70ft putt on the 13th, but also carded three bogeys and three-putted the 18th for par.
“I’m obviously too far back,” Clarke said. “Tiger I imagine will be looking to get to 14 or 15 under but the wind is just picking up and there are some tough pins out there.”
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