Woods closes in

Tiger Woods is closing in on a 78th PGA Tour title and the richest prize in golf in the prestigious Players Championship, a feat that might just attract more headlines than his feud with Sergio Garcia.

Woods went into the final round tied for the lead with Garcia and Swedish rookie David Lingmerth, the world number one seeking a fourth win this season and the first prize of £1.1million.

And despite only one of his previous 77 professional victories having come at Sawgrass, the 14-time major winner reached the turn with a two-shot lead over Lingmerth, Garcia, veteran American Jeff Maggert and Scotland's Martin Laird.

Woods, making his 300th career start on the PGA Tour, birdied the second and fourth to move into the outright lead and, after a bogey on the sixth when his approach hit a tree short of the green, bounced back with a birdie from 15ft on the seventh.

At 13 under par he was two clear of the chasing pack, with Garcia and Lingmerth level for the day after eight holes but Laird - winner of the Texas Open last month after a closing 63 - six under for his round and looking to set the clubhouse target with just two holes remaining.