Ogilvy in pole for final lap

SOMETIME on Sunday, when the last putt falls in the last hole in the last round of the last PGA Tour event of the year, the numbers will fall into place at about the same time - $US1.35million ($1.72m) to the winner of the $5.75million World Challenge and the end of a US golf season that lasted exactly 347 days.

Did anybody say off-season? Blink and you'll miss it. It will be only 17 days until the 2007 season begins at the Mercedes Championship at Kapalua, which is probably just long enough to sort out the final payday of 2006.

Australia's Geoff Ogilvy is the leader at Sherwood Country Club, where he finished with a birdie at the 18th on Saturday for a five-under 67 worth a one-shot advantage over Tiger Woods, who birdied the first two holes but had only one birdie over the last 10, and Chris DiMarco, who birdied the last three holes.

Woods shot a two-under 70 and was one under on the five par-five holes. After three rounds, he has played 15 par-five holes in five under. "I'm right there within a shot, but a bunch of pars are not going to get it done," he said.

Ogilvy, at 11-under 205, said he never loses track of Woods. "It's his golf tournament, so you know he's here," Ogilvy said. "There's 16 guys here but, if you're beating him, you're going to do pretty well."