Tiger Woods is seeking a Sunday charge at Masters

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Tiger Woods should look on the bright side: Because of those five bogeys he made Saturday, he has a chance to break new ground.

Woods never has come from behind on the final day to win a major championship.

Until last year’s PGA Championship, he was 14 for 14 with a 54-hole lead in a major. Then, to paraphrase those NBA ads, Y.E. Yang happened.

So now Woods, who will tee off at 11:30 a.m. Pacific time, will try to pull a Yang by overtaking Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson. Westwood is at 12-under; Mickelson 11. Woods is at 8-under, tied for third with K.J. Choi, after shooting a second consecutive 70.

Woods and Choi will play together for the fourth consecutive day, a situation both like.

‘He’s a great guy,’ Woods said, ‘and on top of that, he’s learned a lot of English. Our conversations are getting a little bit longer now.’

Said Choi of all the attention the group receives: ‘I think it’s very natural for the gallery to support Tiger. It’s his tournament return here, so I just take it naturally. I don’t make a big show of it. I just try to pray and I sing a good hymn, try to think about God’s words, and that gives me comfort.’

Overshadowed by Mickelson’s eagle-eagle-birdie stretch was the fact that Woods made three straight birdies on that same stretch of holes, 13th-15th.

‘Normally, you’re not going to have four great days,’ he said. ‘I’ve played golf long enough where I’ve never had four great rounds in a row. One day is always going to be your off day. And on your off day, if you can keep it under par, it’s always a good sign and I did that.’

Playing conditions, once again, are perfect. Temperatures are in the mid-70s, and breezes are minimal: 4-8 mph.

Everyone here is gearing up for a momentous day of golf.

-- Teddy Greenstein