Woods has an uphill course to navigate

DORAL, Fla. -- Tiger Woods’ winning streak is in jeopardy.

Barring yet another spectacular feat in a career built of them, Woods will see his run of seven consecutive worldwide victories, five consecutive PGA Tour wins and three straight triumphs on the Blue Monster end today at the CA Championship at Doral.

It isn’t so much that Woods is five shots back with seven holes to play in today’s conclusion of the suspended final round that’s so daunting. Woods won the AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am once when he was seven shots back with seven holes to play. It’s all the proven winners he has to pass.

Four major championship winners stand between Woods and his 65th Tour victory.

Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy is at 17 under par with nine holes to play. He won the U.S. Open in 2006.

That’s two shots ahead of Jim Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open winner, and Vijay Singh, a three-time major championship winner. It’s three ahead of two-time U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen.

Plus, there’s England’s Graeme Storm three back and Australia’s Adam Scott four back.

All of those players have at least eight holes to play when the round resumes today on the Blue Monster.

“In his own mind, I’m sure he probably thinks he has a chance,” Ogilvy said of Woods. “We’ve seen him do crazy things before.

“But Jim and Vijay have won a few tournaments, and Adam has won a few tournaments. There are some pretty tough players right up there. He doesn’t only have to catch me, he’s got to catch me and pass Jim Furyk and Retief Goosen and Adam Scott. It’s a pretty stellar leaderboard.

“I’ve got my work cut out just beating those guys.”

Sunday proved a long day. Players were up early to complete the suspended third round only to come back and see the final round halted in the afternoon for 2 hours 49 minutes by passing storms. The final round was finally stopped because of darkness.

Ogilvy played 16 holes during more than 10 hours. Furyk played 15 in that same span.

“I warmed up four times today,” Furyk said. “I’m pretty spent, pretty tired, and I get to wake up at 5:30 and do it all again tomorrow.”

Woods didn’t make a birdie finishing off seven holes in the morning’s conclusion of the third round. Though the Blue Monster played soft Saturday and Sunday, yielding a flood of birdies, Woods is only one under in the last two rounds.

In the third round, Woods didn’t make a putt longer than 6 1/2 feet. He made consecutive bogeys on the front nine of the final round, three so far in the round. Woods was not available for comment after play was halted Sunday.

Steve Stricker showed just how vulnerable the course was, shooting 63 in the final round, where he’s the leader in the clubhouse at 13 under. He’s tied for sixth on the leaderboard.

“I left a couple out there, but I made a lot,” Stricker said.

Aaron Baddeley equaled the nine-hole course record, shooting 29 on the front nine in the final round. Tom Kite shot that twice, both on the front nine in 1974 and 1979.

Furyk made four consecutive birdies on the front nine in a strong charge in the afternoon. He won Doral in 2000, coming from six shots behind Franklin Langham with seven holes to play.

“If I want to win the golf tournament, I’m going to have to make a bunch of birdies again tomorrow,” Furyk said.

Ogilvy is bidding for a wire-to-wire victory. He finished off a four-under 68 in the morning’s conclusion of the third round, making two birdies during the final seven holes to give himself a four-shot lead.

Ogilvy was bogey-free over the first three rounds. That run ended at 60 holes when he left a pitch short at No. 7 and two-putted from 36 feet for bogey.

“I’m sure it’s in my control if I can go out and have three or four birdies tomorrow,” Ogilvy said. “It might discourage people, but if I go out and par three or four holes in a row, then maybe they’re going to catch me because there are so many birdies out there.”

Singh is 12 under in his last 27 holes.

“Still a lot of golf to go,” said Singh, who declined to hit his approach shot at the 10th hole because of fading light. “I’m looking forward to coming out with good light.”