Golf-Scheffler in charge as Woods gives chase at chilly Masters

Tiger Woods faced another Masters comeback challenge on Saturday as he gave chase to third-round leader Scottie Scheffler on a cold and wind-whipped Augusta National.

Tiger Woods faced another Masters comeback challenge on Saturday as he gave chase to third-round leader Scottie Scheffler on a cold and wind-whipped Augusta National. Woods, playing his first competitive event since a single car crash 14 months ago nearly claimed his right leg, started an overcast afternoon nine shots behind Scheffler and will need to produce something special to reel in the world number one and get in Green Jacket contention.

The third-round charge Woods has become known for got off to a stuttering start, the 15-times major winner giving himself an even bigger hill to climb when he bogeyed the opening hole for the second straight day. Wearing black pants and a white sweater with hands buried deep into his pockets to fight off the chill, Woods headed to the par-five second and immediately hit back by rolling in a three-foot putt for birdie.

Having had to contend with Augusta National's undulating layout, one of the tougher walks in golf and fierce winds on Friday, the 46-year-old Woods's damaged leg will now be put to the test by the cold. Scheffler, the hottest golfer on the planet with three PGA Tour wins in his last five starts, is scheduled to tee off at 250pm ET (1850).

The 25-year-old American, even with a commanding five-stroke cushion at the top of the leaderboard, cannot afford to get complacent being chased by trio of major winners including South Africa's Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 winner at Augusta National, Irishman Shane Lowry the 2019 British Open winner, and defending Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan. Also five back was South Korea's Im Sung-jae, the first-round overnight leader.