Date: August 05, 2007
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Baddeley fires on day three

Aaron Baddeley shot the round of the day at the Bridgestone Invitational on Saturday, firing a three-under 67 to shoot into a share of fourth spot. In difficult conditions that saw few scores in the black, Baddeley was five under after 12 holes with bogeys on 15 and 17 bringing the Aussie back to earth on day three. Stuart Appleby recovered well after a disappointing 74 on day two to post a one-under round of 69 and is in the group with Baddeley on one over after three rounds. Rory Sabbatini took advantage of a late bogey by Tiger Woods to grab a one-shot lead over the American. Woods, who has won the World Golf Championships event five out of the seven times it has been held at Firestone, shot a one-under-par 69 and moved into position to add to his magnificent record. Only a bogey at number 18 kept the world number one from a share of the lead with Sabbatini, who carded a 72 and is at 4-under 206. Woods was the only player in the final 10 pairings to break par, and his round could have been even better if his drive at the last hole had not finished behind a clump of trees. He is at three-under 207. “I played ultra conservatively, away from the majority of the flags,” Woods said. “You can make doubles out there in a heartbeat.” Kenny Perry shot 71 and is in third place, three shots behind at 209. Sabbatini started poorly with a double-bogey at the first hole, but he held on nicely on the punishing layout, playing the remainder of the round in even par. Sabbatini will have plenty to prove in the final round, after his provocative comment in May that Woods was “more beatable than ever.” Woods claimed he wasn&apost offended by the remark. “He&aposs obviously trying to think of ways to motivate himself,” Woods said. Round 3 from the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational (par 70) -4 Rory Sabbatini 67 67 72 -3 Tiger Woods 68 70 69 -1 Kenny Perry 69 69 71 1 Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 70 74 67, Andres Romero 71 71 69, Stuart Appleby (Australia) 68 74 69, Hunter Mahan 67 73 71, Justin Leonard 73 67 71, Chris DiMarco 69 70 72, Scott Verplank 70 68 73 Also: 3 Peter Lonard (Australia) 70 70 73 4 Richard Green (Australia) 73 73 68 6 Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 73 71 72 7 Michael Campbell 71 74 72 8 Rod Pampling (Australia) 71 73 74, John Senden (Australia) 71 69 78 9 Nick O&aposHern (Australia) 72 72 75 11 Adam Scott (Australia) 75 76 70 13 Mark Hensby (Australia) 73 71 79 22 Robert Allenby (Australia) 76 74 82