Masters 2022: Tiger Woods' Challenge Fades, Scottie Scheffler In Command

Tiger Woods' hopes of a victorious return from career-threatening injuries evaporated on Augusta National's greens on Saturday while Scottie Scheffler seized a three-stroke Masters lead. Woods, 14 months removed from a car crash that left him with injuries so severe he feared he might lose his right leg, saw his hopes of a stunning comeback for a sixth green jacket come undone with his worst-ever Masters round, a six-over par 78. The fact that the 46-year-old was even able to tee it up -- and make a 22nd consecutive Masters cut -- was astonishing.

But at nine off Scheffler's lead to start the day, Woods knew he needed something sensational to give himself a chance come Sunday, and instead he posted a round worse than the third-round 77 he shot in his 1996 debut as an amateur.

"It's just like I hit a thousand putts out there on the greens today," said Woods, whose prior mastery of the unforgiving, undulating greens of Augusta helped him to five Masters titles.

"I felt like I didn't really hit it that bad, but I had four three-putts and a four-putt," Woods said. "I just could not get a feel."

Woods's seven-over par total of 223 put him 16 strokes behind Scheffler, who survived drama at the 18th to card a one-under par 71 for a nine-under total of 207.

The 25-year-old Texan takes a three-shot lead over Australian Cameron Smith into the final round.

On a cold, windy day where scores soared, Smith carded the only round in the 60s with a four-under par 68 for 210.

Smith was two strokes in front of third-place South Korean Im Sung-jae, who shot a one-under 71.

But, once again, it was Woods who drew the spotlight.

A three-putt at the opening hole proved a harbinger, a birdie at the second -- where his shot out of a greenside