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Tiger Woods watches his tee shot on the first hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament - Source: Reuters -
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Unheralded Matt Bettencourt and fellow American Mark Wilson grabbed a share of the third-round lead at the Memorial tournament as Tiger Woods moved into contention.
Bettencourt, a PGA Tour rookie this season after topping the Nationwide Tour money list last year, played with great composure on his way to a four-under-par 68 at Muirfield Village Golf Club, matching the day's second best score.
The 34-year-old birdied 15 and 17 to edge one stroke clear before faltering with a bogey at the par-four last, where he failed to reach the green in two after his tee shot ended up on the edge of a water hazard.
Wilson, who clinched his second PGA Tour victory at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico in March, birdied two of the last four holes for a 69 to join Bettencourt at nine-under 207.
Overnight leaders Jim Furyk and Jonathan Byrd of the US fired topsy-turvy 71s to finish at eight under, a stroke in front of Australian Geoff Ogilvy (63) and Davis Love III (69).
World number one Woods - bidding for a record fourth title at Memorial - was tied for seventh at five under after covering the tricky back nine in three under par for a 68.
On a calm, sunny day at the event hosted by Jack Nicklaus, danger still lurked on the lightning-fast greens and seven players held at least a share of the lead during the round.
Bettencourt, who qualified for the PGA Tour after winning twice in the last six events of the 2008 Nationwide Tour, was delighted with his display in front of huge crowds.
"This is what it's all about," he told reporters after recording eight birdies and four bogeys. "I'm having a ball."
Tour challenge
Asked how he had handled the pressure of playing in only his 17th PGA Tour event, he replied: "It's a challenge. Play like you do back at home, bring the same attitude and it will all pay off out here."
Wilson, who won his maiden Tour title at the 2007 Honda Classic, did well to recover from a bogey-bogey-bogey start.
"A couple of things didn't go my way but all of a sudden the birdies started flowing," he said. "It was fun to hit really quality shots the last four holes and get a couple of birdies on 15 and 16."
Ogilvy surged to the top of the leaderboard with a best-of-the-week 63, holing out from a greenside bunker to birdie the last and cap a sizzling back nine of five under.
"Obviously, I'm very happy with a round like that," the 2006 US Open champion said after beginning the day nine shots off the lead.
"I made a few long putts, a couple of 20-footers, and hit a few close. Obviously all 63s are nice but this was just a comfortable day."
Woods, champion here for three consecutive years from 1999, turned on the heat after reaching the turn in one-under 35.
He set up an eagle at the par-five 11th with a superb five wood to nine feet before knocking in birdie putts from six and 10 feet at the 14th and 15th to get within two of the lead.
Although he bogeyed the par-four 17th after three-putting from just 16 feet, he was pleased to be in the title hunt.
"I hit it all right today," the 14-times major winner said. "I had a lot of good putts that were just skirting the edge and then obviously a mistake in there at 17 three-putting.
"But overall I got myself back into the tournament and I've got a shot going into tomorrow."
To view the scorecard from the Memorial Tournament third round CLICK HERE
