Tiger is three back and they'll never catch him

AKRON, Ohio -- It has often seemed over the years that when Tiger Woods methodically closes in on the lead, there is an air of inevitability, that at some point on Sunday afternoon he'll have wrested the lead and that ultimately he'll prevail.

So it is again at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, where on Saturday, Woods birdied four of his final six holes to conclude a round of 65 that carried him into second place on a course on which he's won six times, in the wake of a dominant victory the week before.

Moreover, his driving accuracy has improved each day, and on Saturday he hit 10 of 14 fairways and needed only 23 putts, a lethal combination.

"I've always felt comfortable here, there's no doubt," he said. "Certain golf courses, no matter how I'm playing going in, I always feel very comfortable once I get there. It's just hard to describe."

There is, of course, the possibility that he won't win. Indeed, the man he'll be chasing is Padraig Harrington, who apparently has relocated his missing form. If nothing else, it portends an interesting Sunday at Firestone Country Club.

-- John Strege

(Photo by Getty Images)