Woods Leads; Duval in Hunt

Tiger Woods says he is playing the best golf of his life. He’s also in his favorite spot on the leaderboard.

“I love when people have to come get me,” Woods said Saturday after a two-under 70 gave him a two-shot lead over Vijay Singh, with David Duval an additional three strokes back after three rounds of the Memorial Tournament at Dublin, Ohio.

“I love to feel that intensity, that fight.”

Woods entered the third round with a one-stroke lead over Singh and Lee Janzen, but birdies at the fourth and fifth holes--along with bogeys by his closest pursuers--pushed the lead to four shots.

Singh picked up two birdies over the next five holes, however, and almost caught Woods on the 12th.

Woods flew the green on the 160-yard, par-three signature hole, landing in a large trap behind the narrow green. Singh’s tee shot came to rest five feet from the cup.

Woods blasted six feet past the hole and missed the par putt, but Singh’s birdie putt for a tie rolled off the right edge.

Still clinging to his one-shot lead, Woods got to 12 under and doubled his lead when he blasted out of a greenside bunker and hit a downhill six-foot birdie putt at 15.

Both players parred out, although Woods lost an opportunity at the closing hole when he missed a six-foot birdie putt and Singh salvaged par after an errant drive and a shot into the front bunker.

Woods was at 204, and Singh, who won the Memorial two years ago, at 206. They will be paired again today.

The low scores of the day were 66s by Paul Azinger and Brian Watts.

Another two strokes behind Singh came journeyman Dennis Paulson with a 69 that left him at eight-under 208.

Duval rolled in a treacherous 15-foot downhill putt on the last hole to save par for a 69. He is joined at seven under by Mark Calcavecchia and Bill Glasson.

“I’m playing well,” Duval said. “I’m hitting it pretty good, putting pretty good. I’m doing everything pretty good--not great right now. But you know, if you do everything OK, you can manage.”

Watts, Japan’s Kaname Yokoo and 1991 Memorial winner Kenny Perry were at six-under 210.

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Allen Doyle shot a six-under 66 and opened a four-shot lead over Lee Trevino after two rounds of the $1.1-million Cadillac NFL Golf Classic at Clifton, N.J.

The lead is the largest on the Senior tour heading into a final round this year and it puts Doyle, who was at 11-under 133, within reach of both his third title this year and the $1-million mark in earnings.

Rookie Bruce Fleisher is the only three-time winner on tour this year, but winning the $180,000 top prize would make Doyle the first over the million mark.

“Allen Doyle is playing as good as anyone I’ve seen,” said Trevino, who is looking for his first victory in 14 months. “I don’t see how anyone is getting close to him this week.”

What made Doyle’s total score the more remarkable is that he has put it together despite being hampered by a bad back.

“I’m a little bit surprised,” Doyle said. “When I say I can play hurt, I can make pars. But in this game you have to make a shade better than par.”

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Ryuji Imada shot a five-under 67, one shot off the competitive course record at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., to give Georgia its first NCAA men’s golf championship.

Georgia finished at 28-over 1,180, followed by Oklahoma State (31 over), Northwestern (36 over), Washington (37 over), Arizona State (40 over) and defending champion Nevada Las Vegas (43 over).

Northwestern’s Luke Donald shot a 71 and won the individual title with a four-under 284 total, three strokes better than Imada and Washington freshman Troy Kelly, the only other golfers to finish under par.

Imada, who was tied with Donald after 13 holes at one under, chose to play fairly conservatively down the stretch to ensure Georgia of the team title. “I didn’t want to let the team down,” Imada said.

Imada, who shot a 31 on the front nine, parred holes 14-17 and bogeyed No. 18 after the title was in hand.

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In Front

The leaders through Saturday’s play:(Complete scores, Page 16):

MEMORIAL--Par 72

Tiger Woods: 68-66-70--204 -12

Vijay Singh: 68-67-71--206 -10

D. Paulson: 68-71-69--208 -8

M. Calcavecchia: 71-67-71--209 -7

Bill Glasson: 70-68-71--209 -7

David Duval: 72-68-69--209 -7

Kenny Perry: 73-66-71--210 -6

Brian Watts: 70-74-66--210 -6

K. Yokoo: 73-70-67--210 -6

CADILLAC NFL CLASSIC--Par 72

Allen Doyle: 67-66--133 -11

Lee Trevino: 67-70--137 -7

John Bland: 70-68--138 -6

Bob Charles: 67-71--138 -6

Joe Inman: 67-71--138 -6

Dana Quigley: 74-65--139 -5

M. McCullough: 71-68--139 -5

Jay Sigel: 70-69--139 -5

Tom McGinnis: 67-72--139 -5