Woods leads entering final round

From Wire Reports

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods tied a Masters record with seven straight birdies and surged past Chris DiMarco to take a three-stroke lead into Sunday's final round at Augusta National

The golfers were back on the course at 8 a.m. to complete the weather-delayed third round, with DiMarco holding a four-shot lead over Woods

Within an hour, Woods was on top -- and in position for his fourth green jacket. That would tie Arnold Palmer for second-most victories in Masters history; only Jack Nicklaus, with six, has won more.

Woods shot 65 in the third round, one stroke better than the second-round 66 that got him back in contention. He opened the tournament with a 74.

"Not bad, huh?" Woods said, smiling. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Most majors, you're not going to be making a whole bunch of birdies. You're going to be making a bunch of pars."

Woods has played in 10 majors without a win; his last was the 2002 U.S. Open.

DiMarco double bogeyed his first hole of the day, No. 10, and struggled to a 41 on the back side. He finished with a 74 after shooting a pair of 67s to lead after each of the first two rounds.

Woods birdied the final three holes on the front nine Saturday before darkness halted play. He kept it up the next day with four more birdies in a row, capped by a 10-footer at the par-5 13th that drew a defiant pump of his right fist and pushed his score 13 under.

Woods tied the tournament record of seven straight birdies, set by Steve Pate over the same string of holes in 1999.