Stars Aligned for Last Round at Torrey

From the hue of his cap, slacks and shirt, Sergio Garcia was a vision in lime Saturday at the Buick Invitational, where he shot a 68 and today will try to squeeze the life out of Torrey Pines’ rugged South course, beginning the final round tied for the lead.

“It’s definitely not going to be easy,” he said.

It’s just as difficult trying to sort out the contenders. At one time or another, nine players had a share of the third-round lead Saturday, and it’s not much clearer now.

“I don’t really know what’s happening out there,” said Nathan Green, who is tied for third, one shot behind.

There are 14 players within five shots of Garcia and Rodney Pampling at 11-under-par 205, a group that includes Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, which ought to give at least some of those in that number a chance to pause and reflect.

Woods, whose 67 was the low round of the day, moved from seven shots out of the lead to one, but he didn’t say whether he had merely climbed up the scoreboard or had climbed into some heads as well.

“Whether that may play into their minds, I don’t know, but I feel comfortable,” he said.

There may be history on his side. Last year, Woods began the last round two shots behind Tom Lehman and Luke Donald and came away with his third victory at Torrey Pines in the last seven years.

Then there is Mickelson, tied for fifth after a third-round 69 that was marred by three bogeys after making the turn. If that was the bad news, the good news for Mickelson is that he said he’s close to turning it on, once he gets his putting straightened out.

Of course, that has been Garcia’s ailment for some time, his inability to handle the greens. Last year, he ranked 196th out of 202 on the PGA Tour in putting, but Garcia said he’s turning things around this week.

“I actually stand over them thinking I’m going to make them,” he said. “That’s a big difference.”

Garcia coaxed in a five-footer to birdie the last hole to take the lead at 11 under, and Pampling joined him when he closed with a seven-foot birdie putt and a 68. Woods and Green, who had a 69, are tied for third at 10-under 206, followed by Mickelson, second-round leader Brandt Jobe and Jesper Parnevik, who are only two shots off the lead.

It’s all quite crowded, and Pampling is as confused as anyone about what’s going on. Last week, he missed the cut at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic despite playing on perfect greens. This week, he has a chance to win, putting on what are often bumpy, inconsistent greens.

“It’s backwards,” he said. “Why? Who knows? If you could answer that, you’d be a genius.”

The competition for the $910,000 winner’s share appears as wide open as the personalities involved. Garcia came here from a tournament in Abu Dhabi and didn’t know where he was when he woke up Tuesday morning. Pampling is the lone professional client of his wife, a clinical psychologist. Woods is deftly deflecting autograph seekers while playing his first tournament of the year. Green, playing only his second PGA Tour event, is from Australia and once worked at a crematorium that was managed by his parents, although his duties were limited to gardening.

“I wasn’t lighting matches,” he said.

Chances are the temperature is going to be dialed up today, probably somewhere in the last two groups. Woods is playing with Garcia and Pampling in the last group and Mickelson is in the one before it, along with Green and Jobe, who struggled to a 75 but managed to hang in.

Mickelson said he’d rather be ahead, but acknowledged he isn’t in such a bad position, after all, because he can keep an eye on everyone else around him.

“I’m still in striking distance, as are a lot of guys,” Mickelson said. “There’s a tremendous amount of guys that have a shot. I like to be in the group in front, so maybe I’ll be able to make some birdies early, put a little pressure on them and force them to make birdies.”

Only one player managed a bogey-free round on the South course all week and that was Carlos Franco, who missed the cut. As is its habit, the South course once again produced its own brand of pain and suffering, with the average third-round score at 73.171. Woods would have claimed a share of the lead with Garcia and Pampling, but he missed a quick, slightly downhill eight-footer at the 18th.

Woods felt fortunate to be in the running, especially after he could do no better than a one-under 71 in the first round at the North course, where low scores were the fashion.

“I’m sneaking up on them,” he said. “At least I gave myself a chance.”

So, too, is Garcia, who has not always enjoyed his portion of the spotlight when it is directed at him and Woods. This will be the first time they have played together in the last round since the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, when Woods won with a 72 and Garcia shot a 74.

It was Woods’ eighth major title and he has won two more since, while Garcia is still searching for his first. Whatever happens today won’t change anyone’s status in majors, but it might turn out to mean something in April at the Masters.

“It’s just a matter of giving yourself chances and hopefully breaking through one of those,” Garcia said. “That’s really the only thing I can ask myself to do and I’m not going to put any extra pressure or anything.”

Mickelson’s pressure may be more self-imposed. Only twice has Mickelson gone without a victory before the Masters -- in 1999 and 2003 -- and those are the only years he went winless.