Woods favourite to seal victory at Torrey Pines

After fog remarkably wiped out all but five minutes of day three’s play, the third round and a large chunk of the fourth were completed yesterday before darkness fell.

When that moment came, Woods was 17 under with 11 holes to play, six shots clear of nearest challengers Brandt Snedeker and Nick Watney.

Woods was two shots clear at the start of play and extended his lead with a three-under third round of 69, bettered only by Australian Aaron Baddeley’s 68.

The first of five international qualifying events for July’s Open Championship at Muirfield takes place at Kingston Heath in Melbourne today and tomorrow.

Last month’s surprise Australian PGA Championship winner Daniel Popovic and former European Tour winners Peter Fowler, Craig Parry and Peter O’Malley are in the field of 72 players who are competing over 36 holes for three places in Scotland.

Other qualifiers will be held in Bangkok on February 28-March 1, Johannesburg on March 5-6, Texas on May 20 and at Sunningdale, near London, on June 24.