Charging Tiger repelled by Paddy

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This article was published 09/08/2009 (6208 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AKRON, Ohio — Padraig Harrington responded to a late charge by Tiger Woods with one of his own Saturday and shot a 3-under 67 at rain-softened Firestone to build a three-shot lead going into the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational.

Woods put some life into a dreary afternoon of rain with four birdies over his last six holes for a 65 that left him tied for the lead when he walked off the course and fans chasing after him to cheer his charge.

It didn’t last long, however, as Harrington ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch to seize control. And even after the Irishman made a careless bogey on the par-5 16th, he answered with a 20-foot birdie on the 17th to restore his three-shot lead.

Of his 69 victories on the PGA Tour, Woods has only won five times when trailing by three shots or more after 54 holes. Two of those came earlier this year, when he made up a five-shot deficit at Bay Hill and a four-shot deficit at the Memorial.

Harrington was at 10-under 200.

Tim Clark also was tied for the lead early on the back nine. The rain made Firestone play even longer, and Clark had to hit longer clubs. It finally caught up with him, and he shot a 73 to finish at 3-under 207.

Jerry Kelly was alone in third at 205 after a 69, while 10 players including Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., were another shot back at 204.

A week before the final major of the year, this could be quite an opening act.

Harrington has virtually disappeared this season while searching for the right swing. He only recently found the answer and finally has seen some results.

Woods, already a four-time winner this year, is going after his record seventh victory at the Bridgestone Invitational and his 16th victory in a World Golf Championship.

It will be the first time Woods and Harrington have played in the final pairing since the 2006 Dunlop Phoenix on the Japan Golf Tour, which featured a rare collapse by the world’s No. 1 player. Woods blew a three-shot lead with six holes to play, then lost in the second playoff hole to Harrington.

— The Associated Press