Sutton leads despite treble bogey at 17th

One swing on the most unforgiving hole in golf cost Hal Sutton some breathing room against Tiger Woods going into the final round of The Players Championship.

Sutton answered Woods' best round ever on the TPC at Sawgrass until he dumped his tee shot into the water on the island-green 17th today and took triple bogey, which trimmed his lead to one stroke.

"It was one swing away from being a 66," said Sutton, who had to settle for his third straight round of 3-under 69 on the calmest day of the week. "I hope I can do the same thing tomorrow. If I do, he'll have to play his tail off."

Woods did just that Saturday, making six birdies and an eagle in a round of 6-under 66 that left him in great position to win for the fourth time this year and the 11th time in his last 17 tournaments.

"It looks like I'm in pretty good shape," Woods said.

Tom Lehman took double bogey on the 18th hole for a 72 and was at 5-under 211. Jeff Sluman had a 66 and was another stroke back.

It all came down to one hole, an island of terror no more than a 9-iron away. For Sutton, the difference between a commanding lead and a nail-biter on Sunday came down to about five feet.

Woods, playing two groups ahead of Sutton, hit a wedge that flew past the pin cut to the back of the green, landed on the fringe on its second hop and then slowly spun back, safely on dry land. He two-putted for par from eight feet.

Sutton was at 12-under and had gone 25 holes without a bogey. After watching Omar Uresti hit first into the water, Sutton's soft 9-iron landed about five feet longer than Woods and hopped hard over the island.

All of a sudden, Sutton was on the defensive.

He got tentative with a lob wedge from the drop area, and the ball spun back to the front of the green against the wiry first cut of rough. Fearful of hitting the ball through the green and into the water again, he hit a putter to about 25 feet and two-putted for a 6.

"It was like I was hollering 'Uncle!' the whole way," Sutton said.

He promises that won't be the case on Sunday, when he will be paired with Woods for the final 18 holes with plenty on the line - $1,080,000 to the winner, and a chance for Sutton to back up what he has said all week: He is not afraid of Tiger Woods.

"I don't want to start anything, but he's still one down," Sutton said. "He's just another guy who is going to put his right leg in his pants, then his left leg in his pants, same as I do. We'll tee it up on the first hole and we're going to see who comes out on top."

Woods has come from behind in five of his 18 victories on the PGA Tour, including the most sensational of all at Pebble Beach, when he was seven strokes back with seven holes to play and beat Matt Gogel.

But Sutton is no PGA Tour rookie.

Among his 11 victories is The Players Championship in 1983 on the TPC at Sawgrass, and a wire-to-wire victory over Jack Nicklaus in the PGA Championship for his first major that same year.

"I'll just go out and play my game," Woods said. "Hal might be thinking differently, but he needs to motivate himself."

Woods looked motivated to do more than break 70 for the first time in 15 rounds on the Stadium Course. From his opening tee shot, so crisp and long that the gallery packed in the amphitheater behind him let out a collective gasp, he was determined to shoot to the top.

He almost got there, thanks to Sutton.

Woods birdied four of the first six holes, including a 35-footer down the shelf on No. 4. He turned his back on the hole as it dropped, raised both arms and flipped his putter against his bag, the emotion more defiant than joyous.

After a wedge into three feet on No. 6, Woods was only one stroke back. That's where he finished the day, but it was hardly what anyone expected.

Starting on the fifth hole, Sutton ripped off three straight birdies from 25, 5 and 25 feet, each one followed by that short uppercut that was a common sight during his stellar play in the Ryder Cup.

"Hal Sutton's reputation is always as a fierce competitor," said Paul Azinger, who made only the fifth hole-in-one on No. 17. "He's got the heart of a lion. His desire is strong."

It will be the first time Sutton has played with Woods since the first two rounds of the Nissan Open, in which Sutton scored better both days. He said earlier this week that might help remind him that he is capable of beating Woods.

After suffering through the 17th hole, Sutton wasn't thinking that way. This may be Sutton against Woods, but Sawgrass will likely figure into the equation.

"I can't do anything with Tiger," Sutton said. "He's going to have to handle him, and I'm going to have to handle me."

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