World Number One Tiger Woods has imposed himself on Sunday's front nine at Kingston Heath to edge to a two shot lead with the testing back nine to come in the JBWere 2009 Australian Masters.
The joint leader at ten under after 54 holes with Greg Chalmers and James Nitties, Woods picked up three shots in a bogey free front nine to turn in 33.
Doing his best to stay in touch, Chalmers was one under for his round through nine holes while playing partner Nitties was all square and joined at minus ten by American Jason Dufner who turned in 34.
Clad in his customary Sunday red, Woods constructed a copybook birdie at the first to signal that Saturday's misadventures, when he carded a frustrating and unsatisfactory 72, were well and truly behind him.
In fine warm conditions, the 14 time major winner made his move with successive birdies at five and six.
First, he gave the huge gallery following his every move the thrills they were looking for with a long iron to the pin for a gimme at the 351-metre par four fifth for the outright lead, followed by a pitching wedge to inches at the next for a tap in to extend it.
Chalmers managed a couple of early birdies but dropped a shot at the 173 metre par three eighth.
Before hitting off, Nitties, who is coming off a month's break leading into the Masters, admitted to being overwhelmed by the huge galleries at Kingston Heath this week which included a Saturday turnout of more than 24,000.
Adam Bland's 67 is the best of the completed rounds so far on Sunday.
Craig Spence, the 1999 Australian Masters winner, carded a 68 to move from plus three to minus one overall.
His score was matched by another former Masters champion, Aaron Baddeley, who moved from plus one overnight to minus three.
Other completed rounds include 69s from Marcus Fraser, who was edged in a playoff for the Masters title by Rod Pampling last year, Aaron Townsend and veteran Terry Price.
