WOODS LEADS CHEVRON CHALLENGE BY FOUR

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
THOUSAND OAKS, California (Reuters): Tiger Woods, with a renewed swagger in his step, is poised to cap a turbulent year on a high note after maintaining a four-shot lead in the third round of the Chevron World Challenge.
Seeking his first tournament win since the 2009 Australian Masters, the former World No 1 recovered from a faltering start to fire a four-under-par 68 at Sherwood Country Club, California.
Boosted by a three-birdie run on the front nine and two more in the last three holes, Woods closed in on his fifth victory at his own event by posting a 17-under total of 199 for 54 holes..
He struck a superb eight-iron approach at the par-4 last to within a foot, sparking huge roars from the gallery watching from the natural amphitheatre below the imposing clubhouse.
His playing partner, U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell from Northern Ireland, was alone in second after carding a 68 with Englishman Paul Casey (69) a further four shots back in third.
"I'm excited about tomorrow because of the way I've been playing," Woods told reporters after putting himself in prime position to complete his first wire-to-wire victory since the 2006 WGC-American Express Championship.
"I'm excited how I've been hitting the golf ball and how I've been managing my game around this golf course."
Woods has never lost a tournament in which he has led by at least three strokes going into the final round and he has coped well this week on Sherwood's lightning-fast greens.
"It was a pretty good day overall," said the 14-times major winner, who embarked on the fourth swing change of his career in August, a move which now seems to paying dividends.
"I thought I hit the ball a little bit better than I did yesterday. The greens were tough and a few more difficult pins today so they were tough to get at.
"But four under is a good score. I tied Graeme today, so no loss between my lead."
Four ahead overnight, Woods had his lead swiftly halved when he bogeyed the par-five second after pulling his second shot left into a water hazard to slip back to 12 under.
Ice-cool McDowell, who birdied that hole to close within two, picked up another shot at the par-three third where he rolled in a six-footer.
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
Tiger Woods 65 66 68 -- 199
Graeme McDowell -66 69 68 -- 203
Paul Casey 73 65 69 -- 207
Hunter Mahan 72 67 70 -- 209
Sean O'Hair  72 67 70 -- 209
Luke Donald 70 66 73 -- 209
Rory McIlroy 66 70 73 -- 209
Ian Poulter 72 67 71 -- 210
Nick Watney 72 67 71 -- 210
Zach Johnson 75 67 70 -- 212
Stewart Cink  69 75 68 -- 212
Jim Furyk 72 73 71 -- 216
Steve Stricker  72 76 70 -- 218 
Bubba Watson 76 69 74 -- 219
Anthony Kim 79 66 74 -- 219
Matt Kuchar 75 71 74 -- 220
Camilo Villegas 70 75 76 -- 221
Dustin Johnson 69 72 80 -- 221