Tiger Woods is making his move on Saturday at The Memorial. (Photo: Joseph Maiorana, USA TODAY Sports)
It was moving day at The Memorial – and Tiger Woods did just that.
Woods fired a third-round 68 on Saturday and at one point tied for the lead at the event he has won five times in his career. But he finished the third round at 9-under par and in a tie for eighth place (as of 3:45 p.m. ET).
Two three-putt bogeys in his last three holes doomed what would have been a pristine round.
But the top of the leaderboard was packed, highlighted by names like Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy (in addition to Tiger). McIlroy shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday to climb 57 places and was tied for 12th
Here’s a blow-by-blow look at Woods’ round and a few other highlights:
HOLE 18 - Par 4
Tiger’s drive on 18 found the fairway (again) and his approach landed nearly 32 feet from the cup. His big-bending, downhill birdie putt rolled a few feet past the cup. But his par putt lipped out of the cup, a disappointing finish after a pretty stellar round of golf. Woods finishes with a 68 on the day and sits at 9-under par overall and currently in a tie for eighth place.
HOLE 17 - Par 4
Tiger played No. 17 just fine, going from the tee box to the fairway to the green and two putts later, he’s in for par. Still at 10 under and currently tied for fourth.
HOLE 16 - Par 3
Tiger played it safe off the tee to avoid the water on No. 16 but left himself over 45 feet for birdie. But that birdie attempt went awry and he was left with a lengthy par putt that he missed. He tapped in for a three-putt bogey and he slides back to 10 under and in a tie for fourth place.
HOLE 15 - Par 5
Tiger played the par 5 well, sticking his third shot from 106 yards to 14 feet from the cup. He drained the bending putt, gave a solid fist pump and moved to 11 under for the tournament and into a tie for the lead.
LEADERBOARD UPDATE
Patrick Cantlay and Justin Rose have charged into the lead. Both are at 11 under while Joaquin Neimann bogeyed No. 3 to fall back to 10 under, joining Tiger Woods, Kyle Stanley and Whee Kim (6 under in the third round) in second place.
HOLE 14 - Par 4
Tiger had a chance to tie for the lead at No. 14. He spun his approach all the way back to under four feet from the cup. But his birdie attempt slid past the cup -- and actually rolled further from the cup than he was originally. He wasn't happy (duh), but he calmed himself enough to drill the putt for par. He's still at 10 under overall and tied for second.
TIGER TIED FOR SECOND
Kyle Stanley bogeyed No. 2 and slid back to 10 under as well, moving Tiger into a tie for second place. That also leaves Joaquin Niemann alone at the top. He's just 19 years old.
Youngest player in the field.
Lowest player in the field.
Joaquin Niemann holds the solo lead. #LiveUnderParpic.twitter.com/0hI8lB5Eo5 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 2, 2018
HOLE 13 - Par 4
Tiger's string of pars on the back nine continues. After a drive into the fairway, Tiger's approach left him over 30 feet for birdie. He two-putted from there and stayed one back of the leaders in third place at 10-under par.
HOLE 12 - Par 3
Tiger found the bunker on his tee shot on No. 12, a 184-yard par 3. His shot from the sand nestled to just over four feet from the cup and he drilled the putt for par to remain at 10 under overall and in third place.
TIGER BREAK - LEADERS ARE OFF
A quick break from Tiger for the following:
- Leaders Kyle Stanley and Joaquin Niemann have started the third round and both got off to solid starts with pars on No. 1. They share the lead at 11-under par, just one shot ahead of Tiger.
- Rory McIlroy shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday to charge into (currently) a tie for seventh place at 8-under par for the tournament.
- Phil Mickelson went out in 32 to get to 8 under as well but bogeyed No. 10 to slide back to 7 under for the tournament (through 14 holes today) and in a tie for 18th.
- Rickie Fowler shot a 68 on Saturday to climb to 7-under par overall (T-18 currently).
HOLE 11 - Par 5
This hole kick-started Woods' second round after he holed out for eagle to a massive roar from the gallery. But no such luck today. His third shot from 99 yards settled just behind the cup and left him about 12 feet for birdie. Woods left the putt for birdie just short and he tapped in or par. Still 5 under on the day and 10 under for the tournament and in third place by himself.
HOLE 10 - Par 4
Tiger's start to the back nine was similar to his opening holes of the day. This time he found himself just off the edge of the green after his approach and he chipped it just past the hole. His four-foot putt for par found the bottom of the cup. He remains at 10 under overall and in third place behind Kyle Stanley and Joaquin Niemann. The leaders tee off at 1:50 p.m. ET.
Gets a bit frisky with the short pitch but rolls in a 4-footer to save par. Stays -10. — Tiger Tracker (@GCTigerTracker) June 2, 2018
HOLE 9 - Par 4
Tiger's iron play continues to be stellar. After a drive that left him 126 yards from the fairway, he spun a wedge back to just about four feet from the cup. His birdie attempt drops in the hole and he makes the turn in 31, 5 under on the day and 10 under for the tournament and in third place by himself.
HOLE 8 - Par 3
Tiger had another chance at birdie on No. 8 but misfired on a putt from just under 13 feet from the cup. He settles for a tap-in par. He's still 4 under on the day and 9-under par for the tournament (T-3).
TIGER BREAK: PHIL IS ON FIRE
Phil Mickelson has birdied five of his last six holes and has climbed to 8 under for the tournament and makes the turn in a tie for fifth place.
Four birdies in five holes!
Lefty joins the group of big movers and makes the turn T5.#LiveUnderParpic.twitter.com/7eJg0v5dEq — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 2, 2018
HOLE 7 - Par 5
Tiger takes advantage of the second par 5 on the front nine. He was again in the fairway off the tee and blasted his approach from 252 yards onto the back of the green but more than 50 feet from the cup. From there he two-putted to card a second consecutive birdie (after an eagle on No. 5) and now sits at 9-under par for the tournament, just two shots out of the lead (T-3).
HOLE 6 - Par 4
Tiger's move has officially started. He drilled a 300-yard drive into the fairway at No. 6 and stuck his approach shot to just under 10 feet from the pin. His putter gets into a groove and he again drills it, carding a birdie to get to 3-under par on the day and 8 under overall (T-5). Here we go ...
HOLE 5 - Par 5
Woods finally gets the putter going on his first par 5 of the day. His drive again found the right side of the fairway and his approach from 237 yards out settled nearly 14 feet from the cup. And finally Tiger hits a putt from distance, drilling the eagle putt to get to 2 under on the day and 7 under overall (T-13).
HOLE 4 - Par 3
Tiger's iron play is looking good early in the third round, but his putting continues to betray him. His tee shot on No. 4 lands within 15 feet of the cup, but he misses another birdie putt and settles for par -- again. A frustrating start for Tiger, I'm sure. He's even on the day but is sliding down the leaderboard and is now T-36 at 5 under overall.
HOLE 3 - Par 4
Once again, Tiger finds the fairway off the tee and hits it close on his approach from 139 yards out, sticking it to just over eight feet from the hole. But once again, his putter can't convert as he misses the birdie attempt. He taps in for a third consecutive par and remains at 5 under overall (T-34).
HOLE 2 - Par 4
Tiger again found the fairway with his drive on No. 2 and his approach shot was a bit more dialed in, knocking it to within 12 feet of the cup. His birdie putt just missed so he taps in for another par. He's even on day through two holes and still 5 under (T-33) for the tournament.
HOLE 1 - Par 4
Tiger starts his third round with a drive into the fairway, but his approach to the green was long and left and landed in the green-side bunker. His sand shot nestled within 4 feet of the cup and Tiger drained the putt for par. That's a solid start despite the wayward approach shot. He's even on the day and at -5 for the tournament, currently in a tie for 32nd place.
MORE:
- Tiger shows flashes of brilliance on Friday in Round 2
- Tiger appreciative to be playing a year after arrest
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It took a stellar 67 to get him there, but Tiger Woods enters the weekend in contention at the 2018 Memorial Tournament, though he sits six shots back of the co-leaders ahead of Round 3 on Saturday. Whether he will take a major step forward on Moving Day is anyone's guess, but there is plenty of star power ahead of him at Muirfield Village that should make a major rise in the leaderboard difficult.
Kyle Stanley and Joaquin Niemann are two shots clear of the field at 11 under as Round 3 begins, but Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson are just some of the big names right on his tail. Still looking to qualify for the U.S. Open, Adam Scott is also T14 entering the day, five shots off the lead.
CBS Sports will be with you the entire way updating this story live with highlights, scores and analysis from the Memorial on Saturday, particularly during Woods' round beginning at 11:20 a.m. ET. If you are unable to view the live updates below, please click here.
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Tiger Woods ignited the galleries at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio on Friday with a five-under par 67 but still has a lot of work to do if he is to catch the leading pair of Joaquin Niemann and Kyle Stanley, who top the leaderboard on 11-under 133.
Chilean 19-year-old Niemann birdied three of his final five holes, including the last, for a four-under 68 while American Stanley had eight birdies in a 66, leaving them two strokes clear of South Korean An Byeong-hun (67).
Australian Jason Day shot his second consecutive four-under 68 to share fourth place on eight-under with Japanese first round co-leader Hideki Matsuyama (71) and Americans Wesley Bryan (68), J.B. Holmes (66) and Bryson DeChambeau (67).
But it was Woods that brought out the biggest roars at Muirfield Village Golf Club as he moved within six strokes of the lead.
The 42-year-old, returning to the PGA Tour this year after spinal fusion surgery in April 2017, rebounded from a disappointing 72 on Thursday, when he complained of a tight back, to pick up three shots on his first nine holes.
An eagle from 95 yards at the par-five 11th then moved the fist-pumping Woods to five-under.
