Two days ago, Ernie Els
wasn't even sure if he was in the same league as Tiger Woods. He proved today
he was up to the challenge.
In a near flawless round
of golf against the No. 1 player in the world, the South African known as the
"Big Easy" got down to business with a 6-under 67 that erased a four-stroke deficit
and left him tied with Woods after three rounds in the Mercedes Championships.
Woods battled his swing
all day and kept control of his emotions after missing several short-range putts.
It paid off at the end, when he rolled in a 25-foot eagle putt on the 18th that
gave him a 2-under 71.
Els and Woods were at 11-under
208 and will go head-to-head one more time on Sunday.
"I wasn't playing that
well," Woods said. "To end on three good, solid shots definitely leaves a good
taste in my mouth. I just have to go out and play hard tomorrow and see what
happens."
At stake for Woods is a
chance to be come the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win five straight
tournaments. He has won his last 10 PGA Tour events - and last 13 tournaments
worldwide - when he has had at least a share of the 54-hole lead.
For Els, a victory would
be a great way to start the new year, one in which the two-time U.S. Open champion
is determined to milk more victories out of his talent.
"He had an off day and
still shot 2-under," Els said. "The talent, the ability is abundant. Let's face
it, this guy is great. I've got to find a way to keep up with him."
He did on Saturday, even
hitting drives 10 yards past Woods at time.
But they might not have
the stage all to themselves in the final round.
Defending champion David
Duval also had a bogey-free 67 that left him at 212, only four strokes out of
the lead. Brent Geiberger was another stroke back.
"I'm glad I have a chance
now," Duval said. "Starting out the day, it didn't look too good for me."
The Plantation Course at
Kapalua played the easiest it has all week. The trade winds were not so fierce
over the first nine holes, but under dark clouds and an occasional drizzle they
roared to life.
Tom Pernice Jr. had the
best round of the tournament, an 8-under 65 that left him in a large group at
216, probably too far back to make a difference.
Els has failed to make
par or better on only one hole through three rounds, a double bogey on Friday.
He knew when the third round started that Woods could easily run away from the
winners-only field with another stellar performance, and it looked early on as
though that might happen when he made a 15-foot birdie on the first hole.
Els turned his back on
the green and sauntered off to the next tee, not at all shaken by the sight of
Woods opening a five-stroke lead.
Els birdied four straight
holes starting with an approach into 8 feet on No. 4, and the friendly banter
between the two came to a halt. Woods blinked first with a chunked wedge from
behind the seventh green that led to a bogey, but he didn't give up the lead
until another poor chip on the 13th dropped him back to 10-under.
A bogey by Woods on the
par-5 15th gave Els the lead, but Woods caught him with two brilliant shots on
the 663-yard closing hole, and a putt that finally found the center of the cup.
"I'm just trying to stay
tough and play my game," Els said. "If I'm on my game, he's going to have a tough
time beating me. Today was important. This week is important. This is a good
start for me."
For all the talk about
Woods and Duval, or Woods and Sergio Garcia, Els has been the one player who
has had his share of showdowns with him.
Two years ago, Woods came
from eight strokes back in the final round of the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand
to catch Els, then beat him in a playoff. Two months later, Els dominated Woods
in a 36-hole Sunday at Bay Hill.
And just three months ago
at Disney, Els and Woods were tied on the back nine until the 30-year-old South
African made a careless bogey on a par-5 and finished one stroke behind.
For any chance to beat
Woods in Hawaii, Els needed a big day, and he got it.
The same could be said
for Woods.
Until his eagle on the
18th, he made only two birdies and wasted opportunities to use his length on
the par-5s. On No. 9, he drove into the tall weeds and really swung out of his
shoes to advance the ball up the fairway, giving him a hard-earned par. And on
the 15th, he tried to hit the green in two with his driver but caught a bad lie
in the rough.
Still, he managed to fight
through it, and now starts even for the last 18 holes on his quest to make it
five in a row.
