Fiji's Vijay Singh fired a three-under par 68 here Saturday to grab a two-stroke lead after three rounds at the PGA Western Open while Tiger Woods leaped into contention with a 66.
Singh, who snapped an 11-month victory drought by winning last month at the Barclays Classic the week before the US Open, stood on 11-under par 202 after 54 holes at the five million-dollar event.
"I just have to be patient, take my chances, play solid, don't make too many mistakes out there and see what happens," he said.
The Fijian birdied the third hole but finished the front nine with a bogey six before bouncing back with birdies at 10, 13 and 17.
"A little disappointed on the ninth, made a bogey from 100 yards away," said Singh. "Then I said to my caddie, let's go play the back nine and let's hit some solid shots and see what we can make out there."
Singh was in contention for the title here last year before a final-round 73 dropped him into a share of 13th.
"There are no guarantees, but I just hope my driver just keeps doing what it's doing, and I think I'll be OK," Singh said. "If I drive the ball like I did today, I think I'll be fine."
Sharing second on 204 were South African Trevor Immelman, Australian Mathew Goggin, Sweden's Carl Pettersson and Americans Stewart Cink and Joe Ogilvie.
Woods, a three-time winner at this event, was another stroke back in a share of seventh alongside fellow Americans Jim Furyk and Scott Gutschewski.
The 10-time major champion, who missed the US Open cut in his only prior event since the May death of his father, fired five birdies and an eagle against two bogeys in his best round of the week.
"It's nice to actually make some putts and piece together something out there because obviously my last tournament I didn't do that," Woods said.
Woods birdied the first, third and fifth holes and bounced back from a bogey to begin the back nine with an eagle at the par-5 11th. He answered a bogey at 14 with birdies and 15 and 16 and parred the last two holes.
"I got some momentum going yesterday early (but) didn't continue it. Today I did for most of the day," Woods said. "I made some good putts out there and hit the ball better, which is nice."
Pettersson made the day's biggest jump thanks to a 65. Tied for 35th after play on Friday, Pettersson sank six birdies during his second consecutive bogey-free round.
Aussie Robert Allenby and Canada's Stephen Ames were among five players on 206 while England's Justin Rose and Aussies Stephen Leaney and Rod Pampling joined three others on 207.
Sweden's Daniel Chopra, who led after 36 holes, struggled to a 76 Saturday to share 21st on 208. He produced only three bogeys in the first two rounds but matched that total Saturday in his first five holes.
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