Woods Snaps at the Cameras

All the attention might finally be getting to Tiger Woods. He had a mini-meltdown Saturday at the end of the third round of the Nissan Open.

On the ninth fairway at Riviera, his final hole after he started at No. 10, he complained loudly to a photographer who snapped a picture during his backswing on his second shot. He then threw his club down on his bag and complained some more to his caddie, Steve Williams.

The shot wasn’t bad--the ball reached the green and he two-putted for par--but Woods walked over and addressed the photographers as a group when he got to the green.

“Don’t take a picture until I’ve hit,” he told them.

He then refused to do any media interviews, talking only to a PGA media official.

The incident happened just before CBS went on the air Saturday, so it was not on television.

The photographer may have been the final straw on a day when Woods had a four-putt on No. 13 and a three-putt on No. 17.

Despite it all, Woods, after a 69, is at 207, only three shots back.

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Jesper Parnevik was in Woods’ threesome Saturday, and the massive gallery and all the members of the media didn’t seem to bother him. He shot a 67 and is only one shot back.

“I enjoy the big crowds, it gets the blood flowing,” Parnevik said. “I always play well when I play with Tiger.”

Parnevik, however, said he was disappointed with his putting. He had a four-putt of his own--one 25-footer and three three-footers on the par-three fourth hole. He usually putts well when he plays with Woods.

Said Parnevik: “The first thing Tiger said to me today was, ‘Are you going to have 20 or 21 putts?’ ”

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Another golfer who is only one back is Kirk Triplett, who has been on the PGA Tour for 10 years. He’s often in contention--he had four top-10 finishes in 1997--but is still looking for his first victory.

Asked how he would approach today’s round, conservatively or a little more boldly, Triplett said, “I try to play the same all the time . . . maybe that’s why I’ve never won.”

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The biggest upward mover Saturday was Rocco Mediate, who just made the cut at one under and was tied for 64th after 36 holes. He had a 64 Saturday, the best round of the day, and is only one shot off the lead.

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J.P. Hayes, who was one shot back after two bogey-free rounds, had four bogeys Saturday during a round of 72. He had gone 43 holes without a bogey, then had four within an 11-hole span.

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There was a little surprise for the players when they got to the par- three sixth hole. Instead of measuring 157 yards, it played 204 yards for the third round.

Reaction to the lengthened hole was mixed.

Brandel Chamblee said he was shocked to see the hole.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like that,” he said. “We got off the [fifth] green and couldn’t find the tee.”

He said some people are calling the lengthening of holes “Tiger proofing.”

“It’s OK, but it’s unfair to mix a long tee shot with a green that normally is set up for a short tee shot,” he said. “I hit a seven-iron on No. 6 on Friday, and a three-iron today. That green is not set up for a three-iron shot.”

Fred Couples, on the other hand, said he loved the longer hole.

“I wish we could play it like that all the time,” he said.

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Casey Martin was limping noticeably on his ailing right leg after he stepped in a sprinkler hole on his first hole, No. 10. Martin shot a one-over 73 and is at one-under 212, eight shots back of leader David Sutherland.

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Staff writer Thomas Bonk contributed to this story.