Woods, Stricker, Baddeley lead at Cog Hill

LEMONT, Illinois, Sep 9 (Reuters) Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker shared the early third-round lead with Australia's Aaron Baddeley at the BMW Championship today.

Woods, three-times a winner at the Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, got his day off to a bright start yesterday when he rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt at the first to join overnight leaders Baddeley and fellow American Jonathan Byrd.

The world number one then reeled off five consecutive pars before shifting back into top gear with birdies at the seventh, eighth and 10th taking him to 12 under par.

Stricker, who began the day level with Woods, followed birdies at the third and seventh with an eagle two at the eighth.

Baddeley was also making inroads on par, birdying the sixth, seventh and ninth in the penultimate leg of the PGA Tour's inaugural FedExCup playoff series.

Byrd was on nine under through nine holes.

The top 30 in the FedExCup standings qualify for the Tour Championship in Atlanta next week when a 10 million dollar bonus in deferred compensation will go to the overall points champion.

Reuters TB RN0458