Westwood stays clear of rampaging Mickelson after round three

By DB Peters Apr 11, 2010, 0:23 GMT

Augusta, Georgia - Englishman Lee Westwood held off a rampaging Phil Mickelson on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the US Masters.

Westwood, chasing his first Major title, carded a 4-under-par 68 to end the day on 12-under-par, one better than Mickelson, who lit up Augusta with a sensational back nine that included back-to-back eagles.

Tiger Woods ended the day within four shots of the lead after an up-and-down 70, level on 8-under-par with KJ Choi of Korea. While 1992 champion Fred Couples was on 7-under after a 68, one better than a group including joint overnight leader Ian Poulter, who struggled to a 74.

Westwood and Poulter had gone into the third round tied at the top on 8-under-par, but while Poulter lost his way around the 11th and 12th, Westwood was rock solid, picking up three birdies on his outward nine, at the 1st, 4th and 8th holes.

Another birdie at the 10th hole took him to 12-under-par and when Mickelson reached the par-five 13th hole, there were five shots between the two players.

But that was when Mickelson, champion at Augusta in 2004 and 2006, caught fire.

First he hit a sensational approach to the par-five 13th hole to set up an eagle. After another massive drive at the 14th, he then produced a bit of magic with a second shot that landed softly, turned and spun softly back into the hole for another eagle.

Only two other players in Masters history had ever recorded back- to-back eagles before Mickelson's feat and the American continued the momentum with a birdie at the 15th to go 12-under-par.

With Westwood bogeying the 12th hole, Mickelson was suddenly ahead, but a bogey at 17 dropped him back and he needed some of his brilliant short game expertise at the last to stay on 11-under.

Westwood birdied the 15th to hit 12-under and he then showed nice touch and a solid putting stroke at the last to get up and down for a par and stay ahead with just 18 holes to go.

Only once in the past 20 years has the Masters champion come from outside of the final group on the Sunday, so Woods has it all to do after a second consecutive 70 that included seven birdies but also five bogeys.

'I was fighting it all day,' Woods said. 'I really struggled with the pace of the greens - it was tough. I wanted to put myself in contention and I did that. I'm only four back and a good round and you never know.

'I felt pretty good, I just need to clean up the round. The guys were running away from me, at one point I was seven back, but four back I'm in good shape. We've got a long way to go.'

Couples is within five of the lead after he bounced back from a poor second round with a superb 68 to be 7-under, one behind Woods and Choi, and one ahead of a group including Poulter.

The Englishman dropped three shots around 11 and 12 but recovered his poise to at least stay in touch, albeit six shots behind Westwood.