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Tiger Woods has finally shown some chinks in his armour to set up a fascinating Australian Masters final round showdown at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath.
After leading by three shots at the tournament’s halfway point, the world No.1 had to battle for an even par 72 in Saturday’s third round, while Australians Greg Chalmers and James Nitties both shot 69s to join him on 10-under par.
That trio will take a two-shot lead over another Australian Cameron Percy and American Jason Dufner into the final round.
So, after at least one betting agency had already paid out on a Woods victory after the second round such was his early dominance, the American will not even be in the final group for Sunday’s last round.
Instead, Chalmers and Nitties will have that honour, while 14-time major winner Woods will play in the penultimate group with Percy.
But the world’s best golfer was happy just to share the lead on Saturday night after a round peppered with wayward tee shots and numerous putts the man himself described as “atrocious”.
“I was very fortunate, somehow I found a way to shoot even par today because it certainly should have been a lot worse than that,” Woods said.
The problems started early, his opening tee shot heading into the rough to the right of the fairway in what was to become a theme for his day.
Woods’ putting issues also showed up quickly, three-putting on the third hole for a bogey to cut his lead to two shots.
By the halfway point of the round his lead had disappeared altogether, Chalmers having shot up from seven under at the start of the day to 11 under with four front nine birdies, one ahead of Woods.
Another Tiger bogey on the par three 11th left him two shots adrift of Chalmers and after another wayward tee shot on the 13th, his frustrations spilled over, needing a spectator to hand his club back after he threw it away in disgust.
But he settled well enough to birdie the 14th, while Chalmers bogeyed the 16th to allow Woods and Nitties – who enjoyed a very steady, bogey-free round – to join him in the lead.
Chalmers, whose last win in Australia was the 1998 Australian Open, said he was ready to spoil the Woods show on Sunday.
“I’m very prepared for that, yes, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest,” Chalmers said.
“Regardless of whether Tiger or anybody else wins tomorrow, this has been a fantastic week and a very successful week.
“I’m sure the organisers would love Tiger to win tomorrow … but they’re getting a great story either way, if Tiger wins or somebody beats Tiger.”
Nitties, looking for his first tournament victory at this level, said he was stunned to have caught Woods.
“I don’t know what he shot today, (even par), I would never have expected that, considering the course was probably easier than it was yesterday … I’m definitely pretty shocked,” he said.
“You all know that I want to play with Tiger and he’s my idol, so it’s disappointing, but then again it’s not that disappointing.”