Sports: British Open Third Round: Highlights and Analysis

Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood went back and forth for 18 holes Saturday in a game of one-upmanship, as if their individual match was the only one being watched.

Paired together, Woods and Westwood began the third round one stroke off the leader, Miguel Angel Jimenez, but that quickly changed. Jimenez dropped, as did Henrik Stenson, and Muirfield evolved into the Lee and Tiger Show ? with Westwood of England seeking his first major title in front of a supportive crowd, and Woods, the 14-time major winner, looking to reclaim his dominance.

After a two-stroke swing on the 17th hole, Westwood stood atop the leader board at three under par. Woods, who bogeyed 17 after a misplayed second shot landed in a fairway bunker, finished tied for second with Hunter Mahan.

Conditions were tamer on the course Saturday, as the grounds crew did their best to keep the fairways moist against the heat and sun. Still, only three players remained under par for the tournament. Jimenez, who had played well on Thursday and Friday, shot a 77. Phil Mickelson remained on the fringe of the leader board at two over par.

The most interesting pairing Sunday will be Woods and Adam Scott, who has Woods?s former caddie, Steve Williams, on his bag.

The question, though, will be whether Westwood can ride Saturday?s momentum to win Sunday and follow in the footsteps of the Wimbledon winner Andy Murray of Britain to win one of golf?s most coveted prizes.

2:30 P.M. A Rough Round for Jimenez

The third round at Muirfield has finished. It was a rough day for Miguel Angel Jimenez, who shot a 77 to drop into a tie for 11th. His partner, Henrik Stenson, shot 74 to finish one over par.

Westwood and Hunter Mahan will be in the final pairing Sunday. Woods will play with Adam Scott.

2:25 P.M. Woods Reflects on Bogey

Woods said he didn?t make good contact on his second shot on the par-5 17th. It caught the fairway bunker and turned the tide on the round ? he bogeyed the hole and Westwood birdied it. After his round, Woods told Tom Rinaldi of ESPN: ?I needed a bullet to get over that bunker. I spun it.?

2:17 P.M. Par for Westwood and Woods on 18th

Both Westwood and Woods par the 18th hole. Westwood has a two-stroke lead over Woods and Hunter Mahan through 54 holes. Woods has never won a major when he was not at least tied for the lead entering Sunday.

2:01 P.M. Westwood Holds Lead as Woods Drops

A huge turn of events at the top of the leader board, as Woods bogeys the par-5 17th and Westwood birdies it. Westwood is three-under par and two strokes ahead of Woods, who is at one under, as both head to the 18th hole.

1:46 P.M. An Ugly Save by Westwood

Westwood made perhaps the putt of the day ? but it was for bogey on 16. Still, a great 15-foot save, after hitting his tee shot into the thick rough off the tee. Now he is back tied with Woods at two-under par.

1:15 P.M. Westwood Back on Top

Westwood (three under) has retaken the outright lead with a birdie on the 14th hole, after a beautiful second shot left him four feet from the hole. Woods parred to remain at two under.

1:06 P.M. Mickelson Is Not Happy

Mickelson, at two over, was not too pleased with his 72 in the third round, considering he thought the conditions Saturday afternoon were better than they were Friday. When Tom Rinaldi of ESPN went over the highlights with him, Mickelson joked, ?Were there highlights??

12:55 P.M. Former U.N.L.V. Star Moves Up

Ryan Moore, a former amateur champion at Nevada-Las Vegas, has quietly moved up the leader board to even par and two shots off the lead. Moore?s best major finish? He tied for ninth at the P.G.A. in 2006.

12:44 P.M. Schwartzel?s Club Remains in One Piece

12:41 P.M. Mickelson Still in It, Barely

Phil Mickelson heads to the 18th hole at two-over par after bogeying 15 and 16. He is not out of it by any stretch but he?ll likely need to post at least another 69 on Sunday to be in contention.

12:25 P.M. Woods and Westwood Share Lead

Woods and Westwood make the turn to the back nine tied for the lead at two under. Woods leads the tournament in driving accuracy (83.3 percent fairways hit).

11:46 A.M. No Clear Front-Runner

In 2002, Ernie Els won the Open at Muirfield at six-under par. Today? There are currently only five players under par for the tournament. Nine players are within three shots of the lead held by Lee Westwood.

11:33 A.M. An Eagle for Westwood

After an eagle on the fifth hole, Westwood (three under) has grabbed the lead from Woods. With Andy Murray?s win at Wimbledon, it?s been a good summer for Britain.

11:07 A.M. Laird Drops Off Leader Board

How rough is that rough? Just ask Martin Laird, who found himself in the thick stuff on the third hole and, after half a dozen hacks, ended up with a 9 to drop him off the leader board.

11:01 A.M. Woods Grabs Lead

Well it didn?t take long for Tiger Woods to grab sole possession of the lead at Muirfield. A long birdie putt on the second hole to drop to three under. Jimenez bogeyed the second hole to drop to two under and a tie with Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson.

Source: http://sports.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/20/british-open-third-round-live-updates/

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