Woods slips, Mediate two ahead in third round

By Larry Fine

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Rocco Mediate held a two-shot lead over Lee Westwood in the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday, with Tiger Woods still in contention despite a shaky start at Torrey Pines.

The 45-year-old American Mediate, who joined the PGA Tour 22 years ago and is chasing his first major title, began the overcast, cool day a shot off the pace, but posted two birdies and a bogey to reach three under heading into the back nine.

Briton Westwood curled in a birdie putt at the 10th to move into second place at one under par.

Woods double-bogeyed the first hole and was tied with fellow-American Davis Love III at level par, a stroke ahead of 2006 champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and American D.J. Trahan.

The world number one lost a great chance to make up ground at the 612-yard par-five ninth when his eagle putt grazed the left edge and ran about four feet past. He missed the comeback putt and had to settle for par.

QUADRUPLE-BOGEY

Overnight leader Stuart Appleby of Australia bogeyed the first and fourth and double-bogeyed the par-four fifth hole, where he four-putted from about 20 feet. He stood at two over par for the tournament.

Woods, coming off an eight-week layoff after having surgery on his left knee, double-bogeyed the first hole to begin the tournament on Thursday and ran into more trouble at the 448-yard par-four again on Saturday.

He drove the ball left into thick rough and put his second shot in rough short of the greenside bunker on the right. He pitched the ball through the green into more rough, chipped on weakly and two-putted from 12 feet for a six.

Phil Mickelson suffered an embarrassing quadruple-bogey nine on the par-five 13th when the world No. 2 took four shots to reach the elevated green from inside 100 yards as he kept landing short and rolling back to the fairway.

Mickelson posted a five-over 76 to stand at nine over par for the championship.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)