AUGUSTA, Georgia, 10 April 2006 — The 70th US Masters was poised for a gripping finish on Sunday when Phil Mickelson took a one-shot lead after the weather-delayed third round.
Left-hander Mickelson, the 2004 champion, returned a two-under-par 70 in gusting winds at a chilly Augusta National for a 54-hole total of four-under 212.
Fellow American Rocco Mediate, playing in the final group, held a share of the lead standing on the 18th tee but double-bogeyed the last for a 73 to drop back into a six-way tie for fourth.
Ten players, including defending champion Tiger Woods and world No. 2 Vijay Singh, were no more than three strokes behind the pacesetting Mickelson.
Woods, chasing a fifth green jacket, holed an eight-foot birdie putt at the last for a 71 to finish at two under, level with Fijian Singh, who returned a 73.
Veteran American Fred Couples, winner at Augusta in 1992, birdied two of the last four holes for a 72 and a share of second place at three under with compatriot Chad Campbell.
Campbell, one shot clear overnight at six under with 14 holes remaining, lost ground with two early bogeys on his way to a 75.
Mickelson, who romped to a 13-stroke victory at last week’s BellSouth Classic, was five under with one hole to play before being disturbed on his back swing on the 18th tee by a photographer.
Although Mickelson ended up bogeying the hole after pulling his approach to the right of the green, he was delighted to take a one-shot cushion into the final round.
Woods got to four under before making three consecutive bogeys at the Masters for the first time since turning professional in 1996.
After his bogey run ended at the par-three 16th, where he missed a curling six-footer, he signed off on a positive note, making a right-to-left putt for a birdie-three at the last.
With the course playing longer than the first two rounds following Saturday’s rain, South African Tim Clark made the early running.
Looking as assured as anyone in the field, he rolled in a birdie putt at the par-three sixth with his first stroke of the day.
Another birdie followed at the par-five eighth, where he pitched to three feet, before he bogeyed nine to slip back to six under.
The diminutive South African parred the next four holes before missing a six-footer to bogey the par-four 14th.
Tied for the lead with Mickelson with two holes to play, Clark then double-bogeyed 17 after following a poor drive with a three-putt and also dropped at the last after pulling his drive.
