LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Three spectacular shots from Tiger Woods on Saturday. Three shots that instantly become part of the Tiger legend. Three shots that sets him up for a chance to win his 14th major championship.
Here's a closer look at Tiger's three big shots during the third round of the U.S. Open.
| Shot No. 1 |
| Tiger's 66-foot putt for eagle at the par-5 13th |
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Tiger gets pumped up after his long eagle putt.(How/Getty Images)
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| Tiger was 3 over on his round when he reached the 13th tee, having just bogeyed the 12th. At the time, he was 1 over for the tournament, five shots behind Rocco Mediate. |
| Tiger hit a "terrible drive over to the right," leaving him 210 yards to the front of the green. With a 5-iron, he was trying to put the ball in the back bunker. He didn't want to leave it short of the pin (that's what happened to Phil Mickelson and it cost him a quadruple bogey). But his shot landed on top of the green and stopped. |
| Using the ball mark of playing partner Robert Karlsson to help him read the line, Tiger rolled in the putt for eagle, moving him to 1 under for the tournament. |
| "Robert's mark was actually out there far enough where Stevie (Williams, his caddie) and I were reading it. I said, if I come out on the high side of that, I should be able to get inside three feet. And luckily it went in." |
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| Shot No. 2 |
| Tiger's chip-in for birdie at the par-4 17th |
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Tiger Woods is in disbelief after his chip finds the cup.(How/Getty Images)
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| After bogeying the 14th hole, then following that with two pars, Tiger reached the 17th at 2 over for his round and even par for the tournament, two shots behind Lee Westwood. |
| After another poor tee shot to the right -- "the worst tee shot I could possibly hit over there" -- his 7-iron found the rough between the bunker and the green. |
| He actually hit it too hard and it came out hot. Had he missed the pin, it would have gone about eight feet past the hole. Instead, it took one hop and went in. |
| "Honestly, I was just thinking, whatever you do, don't make six here, just give yourself a chance of making four. All of a sudden, I walk away with three." |
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| Shot No. 3 |
| Tiger's 40-foot putt for eagle at the par-5 18th |
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Tiger beams after his putt falls to take the U.S. Open lead.(Kinnaird/Getty Images)
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| Now even par for his round and 1 under for the tournament, Tiger came to the finishing hole still trailing Westwood, the leader, by one shot. |
| Tiger hit a big cut off the tee and reached the fairway, 227 yards from the hole. He then hit a "perfect" second shot, thanks in part because he had practiced the same soft 5-wood in anticipation of using it on the 16th hole. That shot left him 40 feet from the pin. |
| Having watched Karlsson's putt break a little bit more to the right than expected, Tiger knew that he had to play more break on his putt, which was at a slightly different angle, his ball in the middle of the green. |
| "I've had that putt before and it usually straightens out in the end. After seeing his putt, it's got to break more. When it went in, well, it's 'I read it right.' " |
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