Rampant Woods meets the challenge

Tiger Woods shrugged off the effects of flu to shoot a third-round 64 and claim a share of the lead going into the final day of the Bell Canadian Open here. Woods heads the leaderboard with Grant Waite, who held his nerve on the back nine and carded 68 to finish level on 15-under at 201. And the New Zealander is relishing the prospect of playing alongside the world No 1 in the final round. "Maybe he'll rub off on me," Waite said.

Tiger Woods shrugged off the effects of flu to shoot a third-round 64 and claim a share of the lead going into the final day of the Bell Canadian Open here. Woods heads the leaderboard with Grant Waite, who held his nerve on the back nine and carded 68 to finish level on 15-under at 201. And the New Zealander is relishing the prospect of playing alongside the world No 1 in the final round. "Maybe he'll rub off on me," Waite said.

Woods is now on course to emulate Lee Trevino's 1971 feat of winning The Open, the US Open and the Canadian title. However, the 24 year old knows it will not be easy. He said: "It's wide open because so many players are bunched up."

The duo lead Trinidad's Stephen Ames and the40-year-old American JL Lewis. Ames, who reportedly criticised Woods during the Masters last April, produced the best round of the day, a nine-under par 63, to stand a stroke away.

Ames was reported to have said that Woods was "spoiled" and the commotion surrounding him upsets other players. The Calgary-based golfer has since sent a letter of apology and also said sorry to Woods in Dallas earlier this summer.

Woods said: "He apologised to me one-on-one and said those words were misconstrued. A similar thing happened with Thomas Bjorn during the recent NEC World Invitational and he also apologised."

Sergio Garcia is the best-placed European on 206, five strokes behind the leaders.