Tiger Woods's faint hopes of clinching at least one major title for the fifth consecutive year all but disappeared in the U.S. PGA Championship third round today.
The world number one, who began an overcast and damp day at Oak Hill nine off the lead, battled for accuracy off the tee on his way to a two-over-par 72, only partially offsetting five bogeys with two late birdies.
Although Woods switched back this week to his trusty 1997 Titleist driver in a bid for greater control off the tee, he hit only four of 14 fairways on the day.
He also reached just six greens in regulation.
That left him in an early share of 49th at nine-over 219, and 12 behind unlikely second-round pacesetter Shaun Micheel, who was yet to begin his third round.
The 27-year-old Woods had been chasing his ninth career major this week, and his first since last year's U.S. Open.
However that bid will have to wait a little longer, with the American now in danger of producing his worst finish at a major since turning professional in 1996.
Although he has made every cut in the 27 majors he has played as a pro, his worst finish has twice been a tie for 29th, in the U.S. PGA Championship at Winged Foot in 1997 and again at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2001. Twice winner Woods, who collected just two birdies in his opening two rounds, dropped shots at one and two, on both occasions missing the fairway off the tee.
He then ran up his third bogey at the 461-yard seventh, pulling his three-wood drive into the left rough and then hitting his second into even thicker rough left and well short of the green.
Out in four-over 39, he then opted to use a long iron off the tee whenever possible with some degree of success, but had to sink clutch putts from eight and 12 feet on 12 and 13 simply to save par.
He finally collected his first birdie of the day, sinking a 12-foot putt at the 323-yard 14th, before adding a second at the par-three 15th, but ended his round with a bogey-five at the last, once again missing the fairway off the tee.
Meanwhile Padraig Harrington restored some pride with a fine third round of 69.
The Dubliner was the only Irishman to survive the cut after Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke failed to make the grade by a single shot yesterday.
Harrington started the day on eight over - the halfway cut mark - and had a roller-coaster front nine with two birdies and two bogeys before reaching the turn in level 35.
From there the father-to-be picked up birdies at the 10th and 12th and was making inroads at the famous Rochester venue. Only a bogey at the 17th halted Harrington's progress.
At seven over Harrington was still 10 shots behind Micheel.
The final group took to the course just after 7 p.m. Irish time with many world class players ready to make their challenge in this the final major of the season. Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson are just four off the pace on one over.
Of the other early starters, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton was the first to make an impact on the leaderboard, mixing five birdies with a solitary bogey at the par-four ninth to get to two over for the tournament with seven holes to play.
The 45-year-old Sutton, U.S. PGA champion at Riviera in 1983, began the day in a share of 39th at six-over 146, but climbed into an early tie for 12th following his birdies at one, three, five, six and 10.
Sutton's effort was eclipsed, however, by 49-year-old Jay Haas, who reeled off four consecutive birdies from the par-four second to soar into a share of fourth at level par.
Micheel, ranked 169th in the world, had surged two shots clear of the field on Friday after carding a two-under 68 and was scheduled to tee off with Billy Andrade at 1505 EDT (1905 GMT) in round three.
Andrade, 39, the second alternate at the start of the week, was tied for second at one under with U.S. Masters champion Mike Weir, who threw away a two-stroke lead in the second round with bogeys on his last two holes.
Canadian Weir, who opened with scores of 68 and 71, was due to tee off at 1455 (1855) with Australia's Rod Pampling (66 and 74).
Oak Hill Country Club had been hot and humid for the first two days, but Saturday dawned overcast and a mid-morning thunderstorm freshened up the par-70 layout.
Conditions are expected to remain mostly cloudy for the rest of the day.