Immelman in the lead by two

Tiger Woods is six shots off the pace going into the final round today.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Trevor Immelman watched one last shot turn out better than he expected Saturday in the Masters, each one keeping him atop the leaderboard and Tiger Woods farther behind.

Immelman was headed for double bogey or worse on the 15th hole until his ball somehow stopped on a steep slope toward the pond, allowing him to escape with par. On the 18th, he barked instructions to his ball — “Sit down,” he pleaded — only to see it stop 30 inches away for a final birdie and a 3-under 69.

That gave him a two-shot lead over Brandt Snedeker, two players in their 20s who will get their first taste of major championship pressure in the final group at Augusta National.

Perhaps more importantly, Immelman stayed six shots ahead of Woods.

Under the easiest conditions at Augusta in three years, Woods had to settle for a bogey-free round of 68 that was probably the worst he could have shot. He has never won a major when trailing going into the final round, and he has never won a PGA Tour event when trailing by more than five shots after 54 holes.

“If I had made a few more putts, I’d be right there,” Woods said. “But I’m right there anyway.”

That depends on the four guys in front of him, none of whom has ever won a major.

It starts with Immelman, who was at 11-under 205 on a damp, cloudy afternoon that included a 40-minute delay because of rain.

Snedeker steadied himself after three straight bogeys around Amen Corner, getting those shots back over the final five holes, including a 10-foot birdie on the 18th for a 2-under 70 that put him in the final group.

Steve Flesch was the best Lefty in his pairing with Phil Mickelson, also finishing with a birdie for a 69 to reach 8-under 208. Paul Casey, among four players who had a share of the lead, shot a 69 and was another shot back.

And then there was Woods, the only player within seven shots of the lead who has won a major.

It was the first time in a dozen rounds at the Masters that Woods broke 70, but he had reason to expect much more. The third round began under a light drizzle and was stopped for 40 minutes when storms rolled through eastern Georgia. That made the course soft and long, the greens receptive. With no wind, it was ripe for a charge.

But all Woods could muster was one birdie putt outside 10 feet. Two other birdies came on par 5s when he was putting for eagle, another with a wedge inside a foot on the 17th. Woods missed four straight putts inside 15 feet on the front nine that could have turned his fortunes, and an 8-foot birdie on the par-5 15th.

“There’s such a long way to go,” Immelman said. “There are so many great players out there. If I rest on a two-shot lead, I’m not going to do very well. I’ve just got to have positive thoughts and give it my best shot.”

Immelman’s lone mistake came on the par-3 fourth, but he was solid the rest of the afternoon and surged ahead with two spectacular shots and one incredible break.

He hit a low pitch across Rae’s Creek that hopped once and skidded to a stop 2 feet behind the cup for birdie on the par-3 13th for the outright lead, then he went two shots ahead with an 8-foot birdie on the 14th.

On 15, Immelman hit a sand wedge that spun back, caught the slope and rolled quickly off the front of the green. Perhaps there was just enough rain to keep the slope soft. The ball slowed to a trickle, then stopped. One more turn, and it would have been in the water.

“I was begging for it to stop as soon as it could,” Immelman said.

He chipped to 5 feet and saved par.