Sabbatini leads Woods by one at Firestone

Golf Betting Lines

08/04/2007 - Akron, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rory Sabbatini struggled early in his round Saturday, but steadied himself and managed to post a two-over 72 to lead by one after three rounds of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Sabbatini completed 54 holes at four-under-par 206. He leads after 54 holes for the sixth time in his career and third time this year.

Earlier this year at the Wachovia Championship, Sabbatini led Tiger Woods entering the final round after saying he wanted to face Woods in the final round.

Woods closed with a 69, while Sabbatini struggled to a 74. Woods won by two over Steve Stricker and by four over Sabbatini.

"I think it was mis-interpreted and taken to a new level. People can do that in the media," said Sabbatini of his comments from earlier in the year that Woods was more beatable than ever. "The situation is, I know that if I want to be No. 1 in the world, I've got to compete against No. 1.

"I know if you're playing with Tiger on Sunday, you're in good position and you're in good company. You have to keep challenging yourself."

Meanwhile, Woods played a steady round Saturday with a one-under 69 to get in at three-under-par 207. A bogey at the last hole cost Woods a share of the third- round lead. Woods has won this title five times, including last year, and hasn't finished worse than tied for fourth.

"I feel great. It was hard out there today," said Woods. "It was playing brutal. The wind was all over the place and that made things a lot more interesting than it should have been."

Kenny Perry carded a one-over 71 and is the only other player in red figures on the South Course at Firestone Country Club at one-under-par 209.

Andres Romero and Stuart Appleby both shot 69 Saturday. They were joined at one-over-par 211 in fourth place by Hunter Mahan (71), Chris DiMarco (72), Justin Leonard (71), Scott Verplank (73) and Aaron Baddeley (67).

Master champion Zach Johnson was in second place entering the round, but a quadruple-bogey on the ninth and a double-bogey at the 10th cost him dearly. Two more bogeys on the way in left in at plus-two after a round of 76.

Sabbatini had a bad start as he found a fairway bunker off the tee at the first. His second got out of the sand, but stopped in thick rough left of the fairway. After getting on the green, he lipped out from five feet and walked off with a double-bogey that dropped him into a share of the lead at minus- four with Johnson.

The 31-year-old Sabbatini responded with a two-putt birdie on two to regain one of those lost strokes. However, he came up short of the green at the fourth and was unable to save par.

That bogey let him tied with Woods and Johnson

Woods, playing two groups ahead of Sabbatini, birdied the fourth and came back with a 10-foot birdie putt on six to move to four-under.

Sabbatini quickly regained the lead with a four-foot birdie putt on five. He gave that stroke back with a bogey on the ninth after he missed the fairway with his drive and his second shot.

He pitched his third to the back edge, then got up and down for bogey. Woods was still one down at that point as he found a greenside bunker at the ninth and could not get up and down for par.

Woods atoned for that mistake with a nine-foot birdie putt on the 11th to join Sabbatini at minus-four. Woods parred six straight, including saving par from the 14th fairway while playing No. 13.

He hit his tee shot into the left trees at the last. Woods pitched out, then left himself 22 feet for par. He missed the par-saving putt and dropped one back.

"I just tried to stay as patient as possible," explained Woods, who was the only player in the final three groups without a double-bogey in round three. "I played ultra-conservative today.

"I fired away from a majority of the flags today and just dumped the ball in the center of the green and moved on. If I happened to make a putt, I happened to make a putt. I just tried to hang in there and never give a shot back. You can make double-bogeys out there in a heartbeat."

Sabbatini parred the final nine holes to complete 54 holes at minus-four.

"The way I look at it is, I got my bad round out of the way today," Sabbatini stated. "(Sunday) I just have to go out there and eliminate the mistakes I made today. The key will be to put the ball in the fairway off the tee and once you do that, be patient and don't get over-aggressive."