LEMONT, Ill. - A squirrel making a mad dash across the sixth green darted at Tiger Woods' ball, sprinted away from it and finally jumped over it.
It was the closest anyone got to Woods all day Saturday.
Woods shot 7-under-par 65 in the 100th Western Open, setting the 54-hole tournament record at 198. That broke by three strokes the mark set by Sam Snead in 1949 and matched by six others.
Woods extended his lead to six shots. Of the other 30 tournaments he has led or been tied for the lead after three rounds, he won 28.
"I've always enjoyed being ahead. On top of that, if you're ahead and you go out there and shoot the same score, you automatically win," Woods said. "You don't have to try and make up ground. If you are ahead and you make a couple of mistakes ... you can still win the tournament."
Robert Allenby, who won this tournament in 2000, and Cliff Kresge were tied for second at 204. Rich Beem matched Woods' 65 and was seven strokes back.
Woods was near perfect through the front nine, shooting 30 and making only one bogey. He needed just 11 putts, two-putting only twice.
Even when Woods got into trouble, he made it look easy. His drive off the par-4 17th sailed far right and landed in a spectator's chair. After taking a drop, Woods hit a wedge within 10 feet and sank the birdie.
EUROPEAN OPEN: Phillip Price shot 5-under 67 to lead after three rounds of European PGA play in Straffan, Ireland. Price (202) was three ahead of second round co-leader Darren Clarke (70) and four others.
CANADIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Jason Bohn (68-203) took a one-shot lead over Michael Allen through three rounds at the Nationwide Tour event in Toronto.
