Parry sees Woods and Rose over his shoulder

Tiger Woods came alive yesterday and was on course for a remarkable fourth successive victory in the World Championship ­ until he bogeyed the last two holes that is.

Three early birdies in his third round, then four more in the space of six holes at the start of the back nine took Woods all the way from 17th place into the joint lead at 10 under par. But then came a finish which made him part of the chasing pack again. At the short 17th Woods pulled his tee shot into sand and failed to get up and down. Then on the 535-yard last he hooked his drive, could not go for the green and pulled his third shot into a patch of dense rough.

Round in 67 for an eight-under-par total which left him two behind the pace-setters Robert Allenby, who shot a mixed round of level par 71 and Craig Parry, who had five birdies in a flawless 66.

Woods was angry about the 17th. "It was a smooth five-iron, but Stevie [Williams, his caddie] talked me out of it and said six. What ticks me off is that I have the final say-so and I didn't trust my gut instinct."

Justin Rose, joint fourth overnight, followed his opening two 67s with a 72, but on seven under was still very much in the hunt for a fifth victory of the season. He birdied the long second, but he could not follow it up. Bogeys came at the fourth and sixth and after holing a nine-foot putt on the 13th he bogeyed the next two.

Darren Clarke had eight birdies but five bogeys and had to make an 18-footer for par on the last and a round of 68 that put him five under.

One stroke further back after a double-bogey at the 15th was Lee Westwood, who finished with a 72.