Pebble Beach, California - It was just like old times for Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open on Saturday as he pumped his fist and flashed a big smile for a crowd that roared with approval as he played himself into contention.
For the first time in months, Woods looked like a man at peace with the world, happy to be back in his familiar role as the greatest golfer of his generation.
The sordid details about his extra-marital affairs that led to his public humiliation were momentarily forgotten as Woods shot a scintilating five-under par 66 to end the third round at one-under for the tournament and five back of the lead.
"It's been a while," he said. "I hadn't played good enough for anyone to cheer for anything."
Although Woods finished fourth at this year's U.S. Masters, his first tournament since he admitted cheating on his wife, the world number one has struggled, battling back problems and rustiness in his game.
He had hardly set the world on fire in the first two rounds of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, the same links course that he ripped apart to win the U.S. Open by 15 shots in 2000, reaching the halfway stage at four-over-par.
Woods slipped to six-over when he bogeyed two of the first three holes on Saturday before his game suddenly came together and birdied the next three holes.
"It wasn't the greatest of starts," Woods said. "But I just kept telling myself I just needed to get back to even par for the tournament and I'll be right back in the ball game."
Woods picked up two more shots early on the back nine but saved his best stuff for the last three holes, one of the most difficult closing stretches in championship golf.
He started to build momentum with a long birdie putt on the 16th then found the green with his tee shot at the par-three 17th, curling in a seemingly impossible 15-foot downhill putt into the center of the cup.
"The putt on 17 was a joke," said Woods. "I'm just trying to get it close and walk out of there. And it happened to go in."
The first signs of a smile were starting to emerge as Woods had the galleries on his side and a spring in his step. But just as his lips started to unfurl he was back in trouble when his drive at the par-five 18th landed behind a tree.
The green was 260 yards away and Woods did not have a clear shot so he gambled and went around the left side of the tree, flirting with the rocky foreshore of the Pacific Ocean.
His ball landed on the green and he two-putted for a third straight birdie. He took of his cap and acknowledged the thunderous applause like a man who had lifted the weight of the world off his shoulders.
"It was nice to actually put it together on the back nine and put myself right back in the championship," Woods said. "Everyone was just so excited and fired up that it was just a great atmosphere for play in front of." - Reuters