Tiger Woods recovered from a double bogey on the first hole on Saturday to stay in distant contention at the Masters, but will need an unprecedented last-day comeback to win his 15th major title.

Woods bounced back with five birdies and a bogey to fire a two-under par 70 in the third round at Augusta National Golf Club to stand on four-under 212 after 54 holes, seven strokes behind co-leaders Angel Cabrera and Kenny Perry.

"I fought hard to get it back. It was a hell of a fight," Woods said. "I'm pretty proud of the fact I got myself back in the tournament considering I didn't hit it as well as I wanted and had two three-putts."

While Woods is 14-for-14 in majors when he has held at least a share of the 54-hole lead, the 33-year-old American superstar is winless in majors when he trails entering the last round as he does now.

"After making a double on the first hole... we've still got a chance," Woods said. "I'm proud of that."

Woods is playing his first major and only his fourth event since returning from an eight-month layoff following left knee surgery, but shrugged off any notion that he might not be ready for the grind of a Masters after the layoff.

"It's not that at all," Woods said. "I just didn't hit the ball as precise as I needed and just fought my ass off to get it back just to shoot a number."

There is hope for Woods. Jack Burke has the greatest final-round Masters comeback for a victory, rallying from eight strokes down on the last 18 holes to win in 1956.

But in the past 18 years, 17 winners have come from the final pairing with only Zach Johnson in 2007 breaking that streak, the American doing so from the third-to-last group.

Woods sent his approach at the first hole right of the green and left his chip short, watching helplessly as the ball rolled back toward him before stopping on the green.

Woods three-putted from there for a double bogey, falling back to level par for the tournament.

"It was not a very good start," Woods said. "Making double at one, three-putting the first hole, just put myself behind the eight-ball."

Responding to the setback, Woods birdied the par-3 fourth and dropped a 30-foot birdie putt at the ninth that drew a roar from the crowd.

Woods escaped Amen Corner at level par, opening the famed three-hole stretch with a bogey at 11 but answering with a birdie at the par-5 13th.

Needing to attack again at the par-5 15th, Woods found the right trees off the tee and blasted into the fairway some 125 yards from the cup. Woods sent his approach six feet from the pin and made the birdie putt and another at 17.

"Unbelievably impressive," said Woods' playing partner, Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell. "It's great to watch him. Despite struggling with his swing he manages to post a number and keep himself in the major going into Sunday."

AFP

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