Tiger fan Snedeker plans unchanged routine in victory bid

SAN DIEGO, Jan 28 (Reuters) Brandt Snedeker met fellow American Tiger Woods for the first time yesterday and will have to hold off the world number one if he is to win the Buick Invitational.

The PGA Tour rookie survived another day of errant tee shots at Torrey Pines to shoot a two-over-par 74, ending the third round tied for the lead with Australia's Andrew Buckle.

''I saw Tiger was playing well because I could hear people saying: 'Tiger is coming after you','' Snedeker told reporters after finishing on 11-under 205.

''I expected that. I expect him to shoot another four or five under tomorrow. It's going to take a low one tomorrow but, if I play well, I can do it.'' Woods, champion here four times, charged into a share of fourth place with a bogey-free 69, one of only eight sub-par 70 scores in fast-running conditions on the South Course.

Chasing his seventh consecutive title on the PGA Tour, the game's leading player will start today's final round just two strokes off the pace.

Snedeker, who shot a career-best 61 in Thursday's opening round, relishes starting the last day one group behind Woods.

''It will be fun to watch him play golf,'' he said. ''I've never actually witnessed him hit a golf ball in a tournament before, so I'm just going to enjoy it.

''I get a front row seat to watch the best player in the world playing right in front of me.'' Snedeker, who qualified for the 2007 PGA Tour by finishing ninth in last year's Nationwide Tour money list, plans to stick to the same routine that has served him well so far this week.

SAME THING ''I'm going to do the same thing I've done last three nights, not change anything up,'' the 26-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee said.

''I just don't want to mess up the routine. It seems to be working.'' The Nationwide Tour graduate's girlfriend and brother were keen to travel down to San Diego to support him over the weekend, but Snedeker told them not to come.

''I love them both and wish they were both out here with me but I'm semi-superstitious,'' he added Snedeker, who held on to the lead despite missing eight of 14 fairways in yesterday's third round, treasured the moment he met Woods for the first time.

''Tiger said hello to me on the putting green this morning, which is pretty phenomenal,'' he said.

''I didn't think he knew who I was and he came up to me and said: 'Great playing,' which is super nice of him to do that.'' As he contemplates winning a maiden PGA Tour title in only his 14th career start, Snedeker is not too concerned about his erratic driving.

''It's not that far off,'' he said. ''I am missing fairways by five or six yards one way or missing my targets by five or six yards the other way.

''It's not like I'm blowing 80 yards off line. I will try to work on a few things that I know I'm doing wrong and the only thing is just kind of slow down.

''I get so fast-paced out there. I just need to slow down, stop and enjoy the walk.'' REUTERS DH RN0732