Adam Scott tops leaderboard by two shots

Australian Adam Scott took the lead through three rounds in The Players Championship on Saturday as Tiger Woods finally made his move.

Woods shot a four-under-par 68 at Sawgrass to move to four under-par for the championship but his score could have been lower had it not been for a bogey-bogey finish to his round.

"I'm pleased with how well I played but just to finish the way I did, it's just -- it is not that exciting because I was right there," Woods said.

Scott, one of the youngest in the field at 23, recorded a three-under-par 69 to take a two-shot lead as he moved on to a total of 10-under-par, while Kevin Sutherland (73) and Frank Lickliter II (68) are at eight-under-par.

Paul Stankowski shot a six-under-par 66 to jump 19 places into a tie for fourth at seven-under-par where he was joined by Kenny Perry, Phil Mickelson, South African Ernie Els and second round co-leader Jerry Kelly, who fired a two-over-par 74.

The best round belonged to Australian Craig Parry, who had two eagles on the back nine and shot an eight-under-par 64 to move to six-under for the championship and into a tie for ninth with Duffy Waldorf (71) and Fiji's Vijay Singh (72).

Defending champion Davis Love III carded a two-under-par 70 and is tied in 30th place at one-under.

With the players out early enjoying softer greens and windless conditions, low scores were there for the taking. But as the day unfolded, the greens hardened and the wind picked up, creating difficult conditions for the leaders.

Starting the day two shots back, Scott had an indifferent front nine with one bogey and a birdie to make the turn at even par and still trailed Sutherland by three shots.

But on the back nine the Australian made three consecutive birdies from 10 through 12 and took a lead he would not lose.

"I think bogeying the first just got me re-focused and ready to go for the rest of the round because you don't want to blow the round early on, and so you get focused back on the second tee and start all over again," Scott said.

"I was quite happy to walk away with a five (at the first) in the end because my putts were rolling past pretty quick. But all areas of my game were great today."

Except for missing the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii, the first full field event of the season, Scott has been very consistent in 2004 and has not finished outside the top 10.

He finished seventh at the Mercedes Championship, in a tie for ninth at the WGC-World Match Play Championship and equal third at last week's Bay Hill Invitational.

"You've got to be mean inside," said Scott. "Some of my experiences over the last year have showed me how these big guys really have to have burning fire inside of them just to squash everybody else out there, and I think you have to have that or they'll do it to you.

"I'll be ready to go tomorrow. I'll be Mr Tough Guy tomorrow."

Scott has also done well when leading after 54 holes. He led last year's Deutsche Bank Classic by three shots over Jonathan Kaye and went on to win his first PGA Tour event by four shots.

He has also led five European Tour events and won four of the five, the last one coming at the 2003 Scandinavian Masters.

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