Garcia moves to within four shots

Sergio Garcia had some big things on his mind Saturday morning. First he had to find a way to apologize to Tiger Woods, then figure out a way to beat him.

Garcia took care of the apology with a note he left in Woods' locker before teeing off in the third round of the U.S. Open. The rest is still a work in progress.

Braving a rowdy crowd that yelled both encouragement and insults along almost every fairway and green, Garcia somehow managed to shoot a 3-under 67 Saturday and moved within four shots of Woods.

It was good enough to get him paired in the final round with Woods, turning what had been a mundane U.S. Open into a must-see Sunday spectacular.

``I'm respectful of his game and his persona,'' Garcia said. ``But we're just two human beings trying to put a little ball in the hole.''

Maybe so. But there was much more than that going on Saturday afternoon, when Garcia was peppered with shouts of ``Whiner'' and ``Waggle Boy'' as he tried to shake off the misery of a second round gone bad and get back into contention.

The day before, he made the mistake -- after a long, frustrating day -- of suggesting that Woods got all the breaks and preferential treatment. He tried to make amends with Woods by leaving a note of apology in his locker, a gesture Woods said he appreciated.

The fans, though, weren't going to let him off so easily. Even girlfriend Martina Hingis was in play.

Though they had teased him before by counting the incessant waggles Garcia takes before hitting the ball, now there would be no mercy.

``No rain today, what's your excuse,'' someone yelled from the first tee.

``Waaaaahhhh,'' shouted others, imitating crying babies.

Through it all, Garcia played his best golf of the week, making five birdies and nearly getting an ace on the 14th hole to put himself into contention in a major with Woods for the first time since he was a 19-year-old at the 1999 PGA Championship.

He was waggling more than ever, 29 to be precise on one shot. But when he finally hit the ball, it usually went where he wanted.

``It was rough out there. But I'm actually glad it happened,'' Garcia said. ``It helped me mature a lot.''

The hazing began early and grew as the afternoon wore on and the beer flowed among the fans at Bethpage Black. By the time Garcia reached the finishing holes, fans seemed divided on whether to cheer or jeer.

Both had something in common. They were equally loud.

On the 15th tee, Garcia had to back away from the ball after a spectator yelled ``Waggle Boy.'' He looked at the fan and urged him to do it again.

``One more time. Come on, be brave,'' he told the man.

``I just felt somebody was going to try and do something on my swing there,'' Garcia said later. ``He was brave enough to say something, but not brave enough to say it again.''

Playing partner Jeff Maggert heard it all as he tried to keep his focus on a 68 that left him only a shot back of Garcia.

``Walking down the fairway they were saying some crazy things,'' Maggert said. ``It wasn't too bad until the end when the beer started flowing. It was getting pretty rowdy the last four holes.''

Garcia mostly kept his head down, although he couldn't resist doing a little bob-and-weave with his shoulders as his shot on the 14th hole almost went in.

Still, he heard it all, and it didn't end until the 18th green when a spectator yelled ''3-putt'' after the Spaniard's first putt went wide.

A few minutes later, a group of about 10 armed police officers escorted Garcia up the walkway past the spectators to the relative solitude of the clubhouse.

If it was tough trying to contend and deal with rowdy fans in the third round, it figures to only get worse on Sunday when the same fans will be back to see him paired with Woods and the Open title on the line.

Garcia knows that and said he doesn't care if he shoots 150 -- as long as he does as well as he can.

``I'll just go out there and try my hardest,'' he said. ``If they want to be a little better, great. If not, I'll keep trying my best.''

Garcia was as contrite after the round as he was angry the day before, blaming himself for the fan reaction and asking that he not be judged on a few comments.

``I did it myself. Sometimes we say things we shouldn't,'' he said. ``Sometimes I'm my worst opponent.''

Besides, he said with a grin, something good may come out of it in the end.

``Even if I don't leave with anything this week, I'm leaving with a lot of new nicknames.''