Golf Events / Editor / 05 May 2007 /

Rory Sabbatini took over at the top of the third round leaderboard after Tiger Woods bogeyed the final two holes at the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte.

Woods dropped a shot at 17, then bogeyed the par-four 18th after a wayward second shot into the rough on the left of the green.

The world number one got up and down from 40 yards but his mistake gift-wrapped the advantage to Sabbatini with one round remaining.

The South African finished his spectacular round with a birdie on 11-under, one ahead of Woods, with Vijay Singh and Arron Oberholser two shots back on nine under par.

Sabbatini appeared to relish the wet conditions in Carolina and made up four strokes on Woods as he tied the Quail Hollow course record with an eight-under 64 in intermittent rain.

He said: "I just managed to keep the ball in play.

"The rain slowing the greens up just a touch made it a little easier to be a little aggressive with the putter."

Asked whether he had ever played with Woods in the final group on the final day, Sabbatini - who tied for second place at the US Masters - said: "Nope, and I'm looking forward to it."

Singh also had trouble at the last hole and was forced to remove his shoes and socks to play his second shot from the water, making bogey, while Oberholser dropped two shots after finding the water with his second shot.
Phil Mickelson was another victim, also making double bogey to fall four shots off the pace.

Meanwhile, Irishman Padraig Harrington, who led after the first round, slipped further down the field after a disappointing round of 79.

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