Johnson passes Tiger at Chevron

Associated Press

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.

Tiger Woods lost his three-shot margin with every shot that looked good until the wind decided otherwise. He lost his lead Saturday in the Chevron World Challenge because of something that was really out of his control.

Zach Johnson was 163 yards away in the 18th fairway, one shot behind and hopeful of getting his 7-iron onto the top shelf to make par as easy as possible. Imagine his surprise when it landed near the hole and hopped back into the cup for an eagle that put him atop the leaderboard.

“I would have been happy with a 4, let alone a 3,” Johnson said. “A 2 is a steal.”

That eagle gave him a 4-under 68, allowing him to make up a four-shot deficit on Woods and take a one-shot lead into the final round of the final official event this year in America.

Woods had three bogeys on the par 5s and didn’t feel as though he did much wrong. On two of them, he hit wedges that looked good until the cool, gusting wind shifted directions and sent the ball much farther than he imagined. On the other par 5, his fairway metal hit a gust and dropped into a hazard.

The result was a 1-over 73.

“Even though I made three bogeys on par 5s, I had two three-putts, but I played well,” Woods said. “I hit a lot of good shots that ended up in bad spots because I had bad gusts. So be it.

“I’m right there with a chance going into tomorrow.”

Johnson was at 8-under 208 and will be in the final group with Woods, one shot behind. K.J. Choi overcame a double bogey on the par-5 second hole for a 72 and was three shots out of the lead. No one else was closer than five.

Woods had the 36-hole lead for the second straight tournament, and for the second straight time failed to break par in the third round. He felt differently Saturday than he did at the Australian Open, where he opened with three straight bogeys and finished the day six shots out of the lead.

“Most of the time today, it wasn’t me,” Woods said. “I hit a lot of good shots today.”

Even though Johnson has a one-shot advantage, he doesn’t think he’s in contention until the final hour of any tournament.

Being in the last group with Woods, who has gone 26 starts since his last win?

“He’s never going to shock me on the golf course because he’s certainly the best player I’ve ever played with,” Johnson said.