Woods homing in on major number 13

Wayward off the tee on both the first two holes, Woods paid for it with a bogey at the second, but rebounded nicely to reach eight under after nine holes - three ahead of Ernie Els.

Stephen Ames, playing alongside Woods in the final group, wilted in the heat as he bogeyed his first two holes and not even a birdie at the third could revive him as he three-putted from about 25 feet on the par-five fifth for his third bogey of the day.

Woody Austin, at four-under-par, was two shots back at the time of Woods' bogey on two but missed a golden opportunity to put the heat on the world number one by sliding a five-foot birdie attempt past the fourth.

Els was the only player able to mount any kind of challenge but he started the day six shots off the pace, which was too much to be made up against Woods who has won all of his 12 majors when leading heading into the final day.

The South African carded birdies at three, five and eight to move to four under. But, seeming to sense Els' mini-run, Woods went on one of his own.

He birdied the par-four seventh from six feet and holed a 25-footer from the fringe on eight to move to nine-under.

He dropped a shot at the ninth for his second bogey of the day but still played the front nine in one-under 34.

Woods punctuated his birdie at the eighth with an emotional fist pump and it might as well have been an exclamation point.