Woods Up for Title Run at the Western

Tiger Woods’ mini-slump was about more than missed putts, missed greens and missed opportunities. He now realizes that what he really missed was the feeling of being in contention.

“It gives you not only a chance of winning but also to feel the pressure--the nerves, the butterflies going through your stomach, palms a little sweaty,” Woods said. “These are things I haven’t felt in a little while.”

He’ll get those feelings today when he tries to win the Western Open at Lemont, Ill. It would be his fourth PGA Tour victory of the year and sixth since turning pro last August.

Woods sank an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Saturday, putting him in a tie for the lead with Justin Leonard and Loren Roberts at nine under par.

Woods won the Masters in April and the Byron Nelson Classic in May, but in three June tournaments he finished 67th, 19th and 43rd. In the process he broke par only once in 12 rounds.

So the 21-year-old took a week off to relax and collect his thoughts, and he has returned with the intensity he had lacked.

“I’m hitting a lot more greens, driving the ball more consistently,” said Woods, who shot a four-under 68 Saturday after rounds of 67 and 72. “Without a doubt, I feel a lot more fresh.”

Roberts, who will be paired with Woods for the final round, shot a 66 for Saturday’s low score.

“I’m just going to play my game. I’m not going to beat anybody with my distance off the tee,” said Roberts, whose average drive of 248 yards ranks 170th on the tour compared to Woods’ top-ranked 293-yard norm. “I’ve got to get the job done with my putter.”

Leonard, who led the field by two strokes and Woods by four starting play, shot 72.

Steve Lowery, Jim Furyk and Frank Nobilo were one stroke behind the leaders. Another shot back were Steve Pate, Davis Love III and Jay Delsing.

*

Kelly Robbins shot a four-under 67 to extend her lead to six strokes in the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic.

Robbins, who began the round with a two-stroke lead, had a tournament-record 15-under 198 total on the Highland Meadows course at Sylvania, Ohio.

Robbins birdied three of the final five holes.

Australia’s Karrie Webb was second after a 71.

*

Jay Sigel birdied the first four holes to take the lead in the Kroger Senior Classic at Mason, Ohio, then pulled away with three consecutive birdies on the back nine.

Sigel finished with an eight-under 63, best round of the tournament, for a 36-hole total of 129, a tournament record. First-day co-leader David Ojala shot 68 and trailed Sigel by four strokes going into today’s final round.

Golf Notes

Former Masters champions Fuzzy Zoeller and Ben Crenshaw will not play in the British Open at Troon, Scotland, July 17-20. Crenshaw has a painful toe injury, and Zoeller is skipping qualifying play.