His fourth bogey of the round dropped the 14-Major champion, who was tied for the lead at halfway, to joint 17th on level par, six strokes behind playing partner Vijay Singhy and Rory McIlroy, who began again on the 10th tee.

McIlroy looked like leading on his own again, but Singh saved par on the ninth with a 15-foot putt after pulling his approach into the rough.

Woods had to work hard not to lose further ground. He drove into the sand, could not make the green, but chipped to four feet and made it for an outward 40 - eight more than McIlroy, who safely parred his first hole of the day.

McIlroy looked shocked when he missed a three-foot birdie chance at the long 11th, but Singh handed him the outright lead by pulling another iron shot and this time failing to get out of the sand at the first attempt.

The Fijian's first bogey of the round left him five under, with McIlroy six-under and both Carl Pettersson and Adam Scott four under following the Australian's bogey six at the 11th.

Graeme McDowell's hopes were hit when a double bogey on the 497-yard 13th took him down alongside Woods on level par, although he did hit straight back with a birdie two.