Wetterich takes charge in Boston, Woods slips back

NORTON, Massachusetts, Sep 3 (Reuters) Long-hitting Brett Wetterich, helped by an eagle at the par-five seventh and a late slip by Tiger Woods, grabbed a one-shot lead after the third round of the Deutsche Bank Championshipy.

A stroke off the pace overnight at the TPC Boston, Wetterich took advantage of ideal scoring conditions on a glorious late summer's day by firing a five-under-par 66, yesterday.

The 34-year-old from Ohio, bidding for a second PGA Tour victory, also registered four birdies and a lone bogey at the 16th for a 13-under total of 200.

''I had a great day,'' a beaming Wetterich told reporters after taking charge in the second leg of the inaugural four-event FedExCup playoff series.

''I made some great putts and I really gained a stroke or two by making par on the fifth so I can't complain.'' The U.S. Ryder Cup player, who won last year's Byron Nelson Championship, pushed his tee shot well right at the par-four fifth and had to take a penalty drop but then struck a superb five-iron to four feet to salvage his par.

ROUND SAVER ''I got myself out of a pretty big jam there. That was my round saver, and two holes later I make eagle,'' he added, referring to the 15-foot putt he rolled in on the seventh green.

Wetterich was still smiling after signing his card, despite having missed a four-foot birdie putt at the last which would have stretched his lead to two.

American Arron Oberholser holed a 20-footer to save par on the 18th green for a matching 66 and outright second place at 12 under, one ahead of world number three Phil Mickelson (68).

Defending champion Woods returned a 67 to share fourth spot at 10 under with Australian Aaron Baddeley, who bogeyed two of the last three holes for a 70.

Woods, back in action after a two-week break, briefly held a share of the lead before dropping back with an uncharacteristically sloppy finish.

The world number one, three strokes behind at the tournament's halfway point, moved joint top after reeling off three consecutive birdies from the par-three eighth.

Although he picked up another shot at the 12th after hitting his approach to three feet, he bogeyed 17 and wasted a golden birdie opportunity at the par-five last.

''I'm not very happy right now,'' a disgruntled Woods said after three-putting the final two holes.

GOING WELL ''I just threw away a good round of golf. It was going well and I needed to continue making birdies.

''I'm going to have to shoot a really low round tomorrow and hopefully it will be enough.'' Asked what had gone wrong for him on the last two greens, he replied: ''It was just bad speed, terrible speed.

''I ran the first putt by on 17 about seven feet and then probably the last one about 10 feet, so not very good there.'' U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina rolled in a 23-foot eagle putt at the last for a 65 and a share of sixth place at nine under with Colombian Camilo Villegas (69).

Burly American Jason Gore recorded the lowest score of the day with a sparkling 64, a spectacular birdie-birdie-birdie-eagle finish lifting him into a six-way tie for eighth at eight under.

Players are competing this week for points in addition to an overall purse of 7 million dollars and a winner's cheque for 1.26 million dollars.

The leading 70 on the FedExCup points list after the tournament ends Monday qualify for next week's BMW Championship outside Chicago.

The top 30 in the standings will then qualify for the Sept 13-16 Tour Championship in Atlanta where a 10 million dollars bonus in deferred compensation will be earned by the overall points champion.

Reuters BJR VP0500