Golf: Alker wins San Diego hearts and cheers

SAN DIEGO - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson received the lion's share of the attention at the Buick Invitational yesterday, but fans at the 18th hole saved their loudest cheer for New Zealand's US PGA Tour rookie Steve Alker.

Alker, 31, carded a two-under 70, closing his round with a stunning chip-in eagle from 84 metres which rolled back into the hole.

He was on 10-under 206 heading into the final round, tied with Mickelson for third place, two strokes behind Woods.

"I had that finish, which was really nice."

Alker, who also had two birdies and two bogeys, would like to play the role of the spoiler today.

"It is very exciting. This is my rookie year."

Alker shot earlier rounds of 69 and 67 before registering the best back nine of the day yesterday with a 32.

He was delighted with his effort.

"I felt comfortable out there today. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

"I just hung in there. It was a bit of a struggle on the front nine and then I hit some nice shots in the back."

Alker earned his first PGA Tour card with a fourth-place finish on the secondary Nationwide Tour moneylist last year with earnings of US$247,000 ($447,626).

His best finish in a PGA Tour event before this tournament was a tie for 46th at the Air Canada championship two years ago.

Woods birdied the 18th to finish with a 68 in his first event since knee surgery in December.

He is on 12-under 204 after starting the third round in eighth place, two strokes off the pace.

Woods is 26-2 on the PGA Tour when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead.

The last player to beat him from behind was Mickelson, in the 2000 Tour Championship at East Lake.

Mickelson, the home-town favourite, finished on 69 yesterday by making a five-metre birdie putt on the final hole.

"It's great to be back," said Woods, who has been in the top five in as many appearances at this event and won it in 1999.

The top-ranked player in the world, Woods hit his second shot at the par-five 18th into the bleachers to the right of the green.

But he took a drop, nearly holed his flop shot over a bunker and made a two-metre birdie putt.

The birdie gave Woods a one-stroke lead over Brad Faxon, the second-round co-leader who played the last eight holes in two-over en route to a 71.

Mickelson set up an intriguing final threesome, shooting a 69 that put him in a tie with Alker. The PGA Tour could not have scripted this any better.

Television ratings are 113 per cent higher when Woods is in contention.

Add to that a rivalry made even more intense last week when Mickelson said in a magazine interview that Woods played "inferior" equipment and was the only player good enough to overcome it.

They cleared the air on Thursday and saw each other briefly. Now, Woods and Mickelson will spend the final 18 holes together today.

"It is ironic," Woods said. "We've both had a lot of success here. If you were to pick two guys to play well on this course, you'd probably pick us. It's going to be exciting."

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" Faxon said of the Woods-Mickelson grouping. "This is the work of golfing gods."

Faxon was 13 under after a birdie on No 10 and cruising along until three-putt bogeys on 11 and 13 stopped his momentum.

- AGENCIES