Woods is chasing his fourth straight win at Bay Hill

Tiger Woods stamped his authority on the Bay Hill Invitational by surging to a five-shot lead ahead of Sunday's final round.

The world number one fired a third-round 66 on Saturday to reach 15 under par.

Woods' fellow American Brad Faxon was second after a 65, one shot clear of countryman Stewart Cink, who shot a 70.

A quartet of players - John Huston (66), Stephen Ames (66), Kenny Perry (69) and Aaron Baddeley (70) - were vying for fourth on seven under.

World number two Ernie Els, who led in the clubhouse when Friday's second round was halted early due to bad weather, could only manage a level-par 72 to remain at five under.

Britain's Nick Faldo was on four under, with Darren Clarke at level par.

R3 LEADERBOARD -15 Tiger Woods (US) -10 Brad Faxon (US) -8 Stewart Cink (US) -7 John Huston (US), Stephen Ames (Tri), Kenny Perry (US), Aaron Baddeley (Aus)

Woods led by three shots after completing his third round in 65 on Saturday morning.

Going back out, he again scorched round the Bay Hill course with a neat card of six birdies including three in a row from the fourth.

"I didn't really do anything spectacular. I drove the ball well all day. The times I did miss the fairway, I wasn't in much trouble," said Woods, whose record when sharing or holding the 54-hole lead is 27 victories from 29 attempts.

"You've still got to go out there and make birdies, if (Faxon) goes out there and shoots an eight-under-par round, I've still got to shoot under par in order to win," he said.

I wasn't quite comfortable - the hand wasn't all that great today Ernie Els

Woods is bidding to become the first player since Gene Sarazen in 1930 to win the same PGA Tour event four years in a row.

Els, meanwhile, amassed four bogies alongside his four birdies to tread water after leading at five under on Friday evening.

"I'm a little disappointed. The conditions were perfect today to go low," Els said of his first head-to-head showdown with Woods in 2003.

"I wasn't quite comfortable, the hand wasn't all that great today. I felt like I hung in there, I played the last four holes really well, so I'm really happy about that."

Els injured his hand hitting a punching bag at his home in London prior to arriving at Bay Hill.

Madeira Island Open

It was so nearly history for Dredge

Wales' Bradley Dredge was one shot from creating European Tour history as he took the lead in Madeira.

Dredge missed birdie chances at the 17th and 18th which would have given him a 13-under-par round of 59.

It ended up being the 11th round of 60 on the tour - Darren Clarke being the only man to do it twice - but only the fourth on a par 72 course.

Dredge took his overall total to 15-under-par 201, giving him a massive eight-shot lead over England's Van Phillips, with Norfolk's Andrew Marshall a shot further back.

R3 LEADERBOARD -15 Bradley Dredge (Wal) -7 Van Phillips (Eng) -6 Andrew Marshall (Eng)

The Welshman began the delayed third round just one shot off the lead held by Spain's Jesus Maria Arruti.

But he wiped out that deficit on the first hole and proceeded to take advantage of the best conditions of the week with a vengeance.

The 29-year-old from Cardiff knew he was on the verge of making history during the closing stages.

"It's not very often you get a chance to shoot 59 and I was very much aware of it. I kept hitting iron shots close and everything just clicked," said Dredge.

"I just wish I could have hit the fairway on the last because it's only a wedge for the second shot, but I missed it right and then got on the wrong level on the green."