A record crowd estimated at between 70,000 and 80,000 saw Tiger Woods assume a two shot lead after the third round of the GTE Byron Nelson Classic. Woods recorded a 67 then headed off to practice. "I need to go work on my swing," said Woods.

Twelve players are within three shots of Tiger and tomorrow's finish could turn out as close as Silver Charm's photo finish victory in today's Preakness. "I'm going to have to play better tomorrow," said Woods. "Anyone at ten under or better can win the game."

Overall, scoring was again low, as only fourteen players failed to break par. Olin Browne and David Edwards had the low rounds for the day, 63.

Mike Standly and Lee Rinker had impressive rounds despite dealing with the distractions of playing with Tiger. Standly's round included two thirty-foot birdie putts on holes 4 and 17. "I had a lot of fun. You try to make it another normal round," said Standly.

Rinker started slowly with bogeys on holes two and six, but then birdied four of the next six holes to take the lead before being overtaken by Woods on the sixteenth hole. "I got off to a rocky start," said Rinker. "I was trying to be patient. Starting at nine I hit a lot of good shots."

"My only mental mistake came on the par five sixteenth hole when I hit the wrong club into the wind. I just had a brain cramp there," Rinker said about a wedge shot he left 20 yards short. "I should have hit a 9-iron."

Rinker said he was nervous playing in the last group, but was calm at times. On the sixteenth hole, Rinker switched to a number 2 Titleist ball, the same number which Woods was playing. "Tiger said it would be no problem," said Rinker. After Woods cranked out the longest drive (by 30 yards) of the day on hole 16, Rinker told Tiger to "make sure you don't hit my ball will you," as both players left the tee box laughing.

First round leader Jim Furyk shot a 67, which included two 25-foot birdie putts on the last two holes that followed bogeys on holes 14 and 15. "I was plugging along all day," said Furyk. "My iron game is a little better this week. It looks like an exciting finish for you tomorrow. It's pretty special anytime you are in contention."

Veteran Dan Forsman, who received a boost playing with Tom Watson, birdied three of the first five holes, finishing with a round of 66, two shots behind Woods. "It looked like I was going to be off and running after 5, but I couldn't get anything to go," said Forsman. "I haven't been in this position in a while. This is the battle I'm fighting." "The wind will determine if we can play aggressive tomorrow," Forsman added.

David Berganio made four putts of twenty feet or more on his way to recording a round of 66 and earning the last pairing with Tiger Woods. "I started off just trying to hit fairways and greens and let my putter do the work since it's been pretty hot," said Berganio who parred the first eight holes. "I think the turning point was when I made a birdie on hole nine."

Berganio's best finish so far this year was a tie for 37th at Greensboro. "I got hurt which got me off my routine. My back went out in Phoenix. It was tight there," said Berganio, who was a college teammate of Jim Furyk at the University of Arizona.

Heading a group at 12 under is Brad Faxon, who fired a round of 64, including eight birdies. Brad Bryant, Kirk Triplett, John Morse, Chris Perry, Paul Stankowski and Phil Blackmar are also three shots back.

However all eyes will remain focused on Tiger Woods as he goes for his second consecutive victory, third of the year and fifth in just 16 tournaments as a pro.

Overall, Tiger Woods was more erratic in his third round, which included six birdies and three bogeys. "I hit great shots, then I'd take a hiatus," said Woods, who used the big greens to his advantage. "I just tried to dump it on them and rely on my putter."

His first birdie came on the par three fifth hole when he hit a 9 iron to within two feet. Another famous Woods birdie flurry began on hole number seven when he pitched his third shot within ten feet. Strong second shots, a 9 iron to within eight feet and a pitching wedge to within six feet on the par four eight and ninth holes, led to two more.

Tiger continued to have trouble with the 347-yard par four eleventh hole. Again he hit his tee shot into the right bunker. After leaving his approach short, he knocked it ten feet past the hole and missed the par putt. A three putt on the twelfth hole caused another bogey as Woods fell out of the lead.

A long wait occurred before the final group could tee off on hole number 14, and Woods stayed in the shade of a tunnel. "Man it's hot," said Woods. "I need an air conditioner."

Wind played havoc on several of Woods' iron shots into the greens causing them to come up short. "It wasn't me. They were pretty good shots. They just happened to catch one of those gusts and you get Mutomboed from there," said Woods - a reference to shot blocking center Dikembe Mutombo, of the Atlanta Hawks.

On the par 5 sixteenth hole, Woods let out some frustration by launching a 340-yard drive, easily the longest recorded today. After hitting a 3 iron over the green, Tiger hit an excellent chip to within 18 inches to set up a birdie. "It was a shot similar to what you find at Augusta. I tried to feel it down there and let the momentum of the ball carry it down to the hole."

On the finishing hole, Woods hit a pitching wedge to five feet left of the hole out of the right rough. "It was my best shot of the day," said Woods. "It was a tough shot considering I was right between clubs and the lie was touchy, it could be juicy or it could come out muffled."

Apparently even Tiger Woods has an Achilles heel with his swing. "It causes a position on the downswing in which I get stuck," explained Woods. "I have been getting stuck since I was a little boy. I am still fighting it."

"There are certain faults that stick with you the rest of your life," Woods said. "This is one of them for me," said Woods, who said it means his right elbow was getting caught behind his body on his downswing. "It is my short game that has been carrying me this week."

Woods needs a final round of 67 to break the GTE Byron Nelson Classic record of 17-under-par, set by Ernie Els in 1995. If Woods shoots a 63 he would match the lowest 72-hole score ever on a par-70 course.

Don Dowell is the Editor/Publisher of Golf in the SouthWest
(May 18, 1997)©