ST. ANDREWS, Scotland, 17 July 2005 — Tiger Woods recovered from a stumbling start to shoot a scrappy third-round 71 and stay on course for his second British Open title yesterday.

The world No. 1, four clear of the field overnight, finished on 12 under par, two shots ahead of Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal and three clear of Briton Colin Montgomerie and South African Retief Goosen.

Woods, seeking his 10th major, dropped two shots over the first six holes in good conditions and playing partner Montgomerie and Goosen cut his lead to a single shot.

The American stopped the rot, however, with two birdies and he also birdied the last to restore his two-shot cushion.

Montgomerie failed to draw much inspiration from the packed galleries at St. Andrews but a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th green completed a round of 70 and left him with a chance of winning his long awaited first major.

Woods missed a six-foot putt on the second green to register his first bogey for 22 holes and, after making his customary birdie at the fifth, a wayward drive on the sixth dropped him back to 10 under.

Although he also birdied the seventh, Woods was struggling in favorable conditions to reproduce the form that brought him serene opening rounds of 66 and 67 and another drive into the bushes almost cost him a shot at the ninth.

He birdied the 12th but an untidy bogey at the 16th and a poor approach to the notorious Road Hole left him in danger of slipping out of the outright lead.

A nerveless eight foot-putt saved par on the 17th, however, and a beautifully judged second shot at the 18th set up another birdie.

Olazabal eagled the 12th hole and picked up three birdies in his round of 68 to put himself in position to challenge for his third major and first Open title.

Montgomerie failed to repeat his second-round 66 but ground out four birdies, while Goosen, twice US Open champion, conjured up eight birdies in his 66.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia eagled the ninth hole on the way to a second successive 69 to finish at eight under, level with American Brad Faxon and one ahead of world No. 2 Vijay Singh of Fiji and U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand.

A large group of players finished at six under including 1995 Open champion John Daly of the US, Briton Darren Clarke, German Bernhard Langer and Briton Sandy Lyle, who won the 1985 Open. South Africa’s Ernie Els and American Phil Mickelson, ranked third and fourth in the world, slipped out of contention following disappointing rounds of 75 and 72 respectively.

Birdie Blitz Powers Elder Statesman Edwards to US PGA Lead

In Endicott, New York, David Edwards, months away from the 50-and-over circuit, birdied five holes in a row in a nine-under par 63 second round here Friday to grab a one-stroke lead at the US PGA BC Open.

While most of golf’s greats are playing at the British Open, the American veteran who has not won a tour event since 1993 made his move to snap the drought just months shy of qualifying for the Champions Tour.

Edwards, eight years removed from his last full tour-eligible season, enjoyed his best round of the year, a bogey-free effort in sweltering conditions at the three million-dollar event.

Edwards began with a 15-foot birdie at the par-4 10th hole and birdied 14 and 16 before sinking six birdies on his final nine holes.

Edwards sank a 25-foot birdie at the first hole and followed with three others inside six feet plus a 20-footer at the fourth. Edwards dropped a four-foot birdie at the ninth to grab the lead after 36 holes at 15-under 129.

American Matt Hendrix, a qualifier in only his second US PGA event of the year, was second, one stroke back and one ahead of compatriot Ryan Palmer and Australian rookie Brendan Jones. Palmer also ran off five birdies in a row starting at the 15th hole and finishing on the first as he began his final nine.

Scotland’s Moodie Stretches

Canadian LPGA Lead

In Hammond Plains, Nova Scotia, Scotland’s Janice Moodie moved closer to her first LPGA title in three years, firing a three-under par 69 on Friday to double her Canadian Women’s Open lead to two strokes after 36 holes.

Moodie stands at nine-under 135 midway through the $1.3 million event, two strokes ahead of South Korea’s Il Mi Chung. The British veteran has not won since the 2002 Asahi Ryokuken Championship and she is not set to celebrate yet.

Moodie, seeking a third career crown and a $195,000 top prize, made all four of her birdies on the back nine, on the 11th and 13th holes and again on 16 and 18, after a bogey at the par-4 fifth.

Chung, a 33-year-old LPGA rookie who has never been higher than 25th, fired a 68 to swipe second alone, a stroke ahead of Korean Young-A Yang and American Angela Stafford.

“I’m just keeping the concentration and confidence,” Chung said.