The pretournament favorites aren't favored anymore, but if there's one thing David Duval and Tiger Woods have learned from their past Masters Tournament experiences, it's that anything can happen on Sunday.
The game's top young guns have yet to take their predicted places near the top of the leaderboard heading into today's final round of the 63rd Masters, but both remain within striking distance after solid rounds on Saturday.
The 28-year-old Duval, whose four PGA Tour victories this year vaulted him past Woods into the top spot in the World Golf Ranking, posted a third-round score of 2-under-par 70 to move to 1-under-par 215 for the tournament, six behind leader Jose Maria Olazabal.
Inspired by an eagle on No. 13 and a birdie on No. 15 -- the back-nine par-5s -- Woods fired a 2-under-par 70 on Saturday to go to 2-under-par 214 through three rounds, only five back.
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Tiger Woods reacts to missing an eagle putt on the No. 15 green. Duval and Woods each shot 2-under-par 70 on Saturday. Ron Cockerille/Chronicle Staff
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``Nothing ever would surprise me here,'' said Duval, when asked about his chances today. ``I was just hoping to get back into it (Saturday), but I left a few shots out there where I probably shouldn't have. I might have a chance come Sunday, but you don't know how the leaders will finish up.''
After a bogey at the par-4 No. 3 moved him to 2-over for the tournament, Duval made seven straight pars before breaking the ice with three concecutive birdies at Nos. 11-13.
With a chance at eagle on the par-5 15th after a 194-yard 7-iron approach to 25 feet, Duval's putt rolled 8 feet past the hole, and he three-putted for a disappointing par. An eagle would have moved him to 4-under on Saturday and 3-under for the tournament.
``That really was not too enjoyable,'' Duval said of the wicked-fast 15th green. ``The thing is, you know better, but I don't know if I can hit it much shorter than I did. If y'all have the chance, go out on the 15th fairway and look down on the green. It's not a pretty sight.''
After seven straight pars to open his round, Woods birdied the par-5 eighth, but quickly fell to 2-over after he bogeyed the par-4 ninth and the par-4 11th. But he birdied the par-5 13th and the difficult par-5 15th to pull back into contention. His back-nine 2-under 34 was only his second nine under par this week.
``In '97, I was able to blow balls over bunkers,'' Woods said of his record 18-under-par performance. ``Now that line has been taken away from me because of the rough. That's the great thing about here -- you're able to play a different way and still shoot low scores.''
When play begins this afternoon, the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the world will finally be looking to make something happen.
``I want it to be hard, because if I get a real good round going, maybe I can make up more ground,'' said Duval, in his second week as the No. 1 player in the world. ``I certainly have felt a little better each day and hit some better shots each day. The only problem is I might end up being a little too far behind, so it doesn't really matter. I'll just have to wait and see tomorrow.''
``I think tomorrow, in order for me to have a chance of winning, I need to get off to a quick start,'' Woods said. ``I need to shoot in the low 30s going out. Anyone 4- or 5-under-par going to the back nine has a chance of winning.''
Anticipated showdown never came 
