Rocco Mediate in charge after Tiger Woods surrenders lead

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Twice champion Tiger Woods, after recovering from a nightmare start, bogeyed the par-five 13th hole to surrender the U.S. Open lead in Sunday's final round.

The American world number one, who had been a stroke in front with seven holes to play, had to take a penalty drop after pulling his second shot left into thick scrub.

Woods, who had eagled the hole in the previous two rounds, reached the elevated green with his fourth and two-putted for a six to slip back to one under overall.

Fellow American Rocco Mediate led the field at two under after collecting his third birdie of the round at the 267-yard 14th where he drove into a greenside bunker and got and down.

American D.J. Trahan, after 14 holes, and Britain's Lee Westwood, after 13, were tied for third place at one over.

Woods, the heavy tournament favorite seeking his 14th major title, made an ugly start by dropping three shots in the first two holes.

He double-bogeyed the par-four first after pulling his tee shot well left of the cart path and struck trees with his second and third shots.

From the left rough, he punched out to just short of the green, chipped up to three feet and sank the putt to fall back to one under overall.

KNEE SURGERY

Woods, who had surgery on his left knee two months ago, also faltered on the par-four second after pushing his tee shot into the right rough.

The 32-year-old briefly grimaced in pain after his errant drive, struck his approach on to the green and three-putted for bogey to slide to even par for the tournament.

He then parred the next six holes before picking up his first shot of the day at the par-five ninth where he reached the green in two and two-putted.

Out in two-over 37, he narrowly missed a curling 10-footer for birdie at the 10th but made amends at the par-three 11th where he used the contours of the green to hit his tee shot to five feet.

Woods coolly rolled in the birdie putt to edge one stroke clear at two under, sparking a huge roar from the gallery packed around the green.

"The course is set up for some fireworks today," world number two Phil Mickelson told reporters after closing with a 68 for a six-over total. "I thought that there were pin placements on just about every hole you could get to."