LA JOLLA, Calif. This was the Tiger Woods everybody's been waiting to see.

Pumping his fists and smiling again, Woods shot a 10-under-par 62 in the third round of the Buick Invitational today, his lowest round as a pro and a course record at Torrey Pines South.

Woods jumped from nine shots back to a one-shot lead over Billy Ray Brown.

Playing in perfect conditions on the seaside course, Woods' round was highlighted by an incredible second shot from a knoll next to a bunker on the 557-yard No. 6 that set up a 10-foot eagle putt. He could have posted an even better round, but lipped-out three birdie putts.

Playing a course he knows well from his junior golf days, Woods was at 15-under 201 and in position for just his second victory in his last 32 PGA starts.

"I like my chances, no doubt about it," Woods said. "I like being in the hunt."

Brown shot a 68 and was at 14-under 202. Kevin Sutherland, Bill Glasson and Frank Lickliter were at 203, and Scott Hoch and Ted Tryba were tied at 204. Tryba had the lead after the first two rounds after shooting consecutive 65s, but was 2-over 74 Saturday.

Woods won his sixth and final Optimist Junior World Golf Championship at Torrey Pines South as a 15-year-old in 1991. He failed to repeat in 1992 and '93, and in last year's Buick Invitational he left a 40-foot eagle putt a foot short on the final hole to miss getting into a playoff with eventual winner Scott Simpson and Skip Kendall.

"I wouldn't say it owes me one, but I do have some good vibes here," Woods said. "I always have. I've always liked playing here in San Diego, actually Southern California, period. This is where I grew up."

Woods rebounded remarkably well from his miserable second round Friday, when he had two double bogeys in the span of five holes and finished two shots ahead of the cut. He teed off Saturday at 8:27 a.m. on the backside, nearly two hours before Ted Tryba, the leader through 36 holes, teed off in the last group to go off on No. 1.

Woods told himself he needed to shoot 63 to get back into contention, "and lo-and-behold, I shoot 62."

Woods had four birdies on the backside, and by the time his group got onto the front nine, Tryba's group was just ahead. The big gallery roared when Woods rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt on No. 4 and also birdied No. 5, then really made noise after his eagle.

"I could see Ted over there a hole and a half ahead of us," Woods said. "I was just trying to make it known that I'm coming."

Woods admitted he got a few lucky breaks, and the second shot on the sixth was one of them. He had a tough lie 280 yards from the hole, and his right foot was on the lip of the bunker when he swung his 3-wood "as hard as I possibly could." The ball bounced off a sprinkler head and shot onto the green.

After two straight pars, Woods sank an 8-foot putt on No. 9 to break the course record of 63 set by Tommy Nakajima in 1984 and matched by Tom Watson in 1992.

Woods needed just 24 putts Saturday.

"I told everybody it's just a matter of time before everything clicks in," he said. "I've been so close, for so many rounds now, a few months, actually, and nothing ever jelled."

Divots:Nakajima and Watson also started on the back nine when they shot their 63s. ... Woods shot rounds of 61 and 62 as an amateur. He had four rounds of 63 as a pro, the most recent in the third round of last year's BellSouth Classic.