Golf-Johnson shoots 60 to turn up heat on Woods

ATLANTA, Sep 15 (Reuters) US Masters champion Zach Johnson fired a dazzling course-record 60 as Tiger Woods's lead was trimmed to two shots midway through the Tour Championship third round today.

American Johnson, 10 strokes behind Woods overnight, eagled the par-five 15th and also rattled up eight birdies in his 10-under round to finish 13-under on 197.

That left him two behind Woods, who covered the front nine at a sun-drenched East Lake Golf Club in two-under 33.

''It was an amazing day,'' a smiling Johnson told reporters after breaking the course record by two shots. ''A lot of factors went my way today.

''The greens are really soft and, if you hit it on line and solid, it's going to go in.'' World number one Woods, three ahead overnight, lost ground despite reeling off three birdies before the turn in his bid for a seventh PGA Tour title this year and inaugural FedExCup honours.

Fellow American Mark Calcavecchia birdied four of the first nine holes to draw level with Johnson at 13 under.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia was a further two shots back at 11 under after 10 holes, along with American Woody Austin (nine) in the fourth and final event of the FedExCup playoff series.

IDEAL CONDITIONS Another player who took advantage of ideal scoring conditions was 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, who returned a 10-birdie 62.

''I'm really happy with that,'' Ogilvy said after finishing at 10-under 200. ''I wanted to shoot a decent score today and get back toward the right end of the field.

''I made a lot of birdies out there. I managed to make them from everywhere.'' Ogilvy had started the round 11 strokes off the pace.

Woods, the FedExCup points leader, picked up his first shot at the par-four third after hitting a superb approach to six inches.

He rolled in a five-footer to birdie the fourth and briefly held a five-shot lead standing on the sixth tee before Calcavecchia, playing in the group in front, holed out there from 17 feet.

Woods then bogeyed the par-four seventh after his second shot ended up in a greenside bunker but he then birdied the ninth.

Reuters SZ VP0228