Golf: Lee Westwood poised to pounce on Tiger & Co.

Published on Saturday 7 November 2009 10:52

LEE WESTWOOD stormed into contention at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions today with a sparkling seven-under par round of 65, writes ANDREW MULLEN.

The European Tour's Race to Dubai leader shot up the leaderboard to set the clubhouse mark at 10 under par after dropping just one shot during his impressive third round.

Westwood had progressed quietly through the first two days at Sheshan International Golf Club with rounds of 70 and 71 but made his mark with a flawless five-under-par 31 front nine today.

He sandwiched his only bogey of the day at the 15th between two further gains.

And, after a birdie putt agonisingly lipped out on 17, a mammoth drive down the final fairway led to an eighth birdie of the day.

Having earned a play-off in 2007 before losing out to Phil Mickelson after enjoying a 10-shot swing in his favour over the final 12 holes, Westwood is confident of remaining in the hunt.

He said: "I didn't really make a a big improvement, I just sank a few more putts.

"I felt like I was lacking a bit of rhythm with my stroke for the first couple of days. I tried to free it up and putt with a bit more rhythm and let the putter flow and I rolled a few in and made a couple of four or five footers to keep the momentum going."

Phil Mickelson, the 2007 champion, shot a third-round 67 for 14-under – a two-shot lead over world No.1 Tiger Woods and another American, early tournament leader Nick Watney, going into the final round.

Watney holed a 50-foot eagle putt on the final hole for a 70.

Yet another American, Ryan Moore was a shot further back on 11-under – one ahead of Westwood.

Mickelson strung together three birdies over the final five holes to turn a two-shot deficit to Woods into a two-shot lead over the back nine

Woods failed to make a birdie over the final eight holes in his 70, leaving him two shots behind.

Woods, the runner-up on his previous two visits to Shanghai, had begun the day tied for the lead with Watney after posting a second consecutive six-under 66 yesterday.

He made a bright start and progressed to 12-under-par after 13 holes of his third round to go to the top of the leaderboard on his own before Mickelson eclipsed him with his late charge.