Woods Leads NEC by Nine

A K R O N, Ohio, Aug. 26 -- Fourteen straight pars and a wasp stingfailed to stop Tiger Woods from running away with the NECInvitational today.

Woods finally cooled off at Firestone Country Club after abirdie-eagle-birdie start. He got stung on his left finger when hetried to remove a wounded wasp on the 15th green. All that matteredat the end of the day was his 3-under 67, which gave him anine-stroke lead.

“It hurt quite a bit,” he said. That was in reference to thesting, not a game that failed to produce a birdie from the fourthhole on. Woods knew the size of his lead at the time — 11 — andwhat it would take to catch him — a lot.

“I had a big lead,” Woods said. “You don’t need to put pressure on yourself. They’ve got to come get you.”

Prefers Big Lead Over Drama

Woods was at 18-under 192, a 54-hole record at Firestone. HalSutton had a hole-in-one on the 12th hole and nearly holed out onthe 18th for a 65, the best score of the day. He was at 201, alongwith Phillip Price and fast-fading Phil Mickelson.

Price, a Welshman playing his first tournament in America,bogeyed the last hole for a 66. Mickelson finally got Woods’ leaddown to six strokes until he bogeyed the 17th with a flubbed chipand made double bogey on the 18th with a three-putt from 8 feet.

Coming off a pulsating playoff victory over Bob May in the PGAChampionship, Woods liked his situation much better this week inthe tournament for Presidents Cup and U.S. Ryder Cup teams, and thetop 12 Europeans from the European tour money list.

“A big lead, any time,” Woods said when asked whether he wouldprefer that or a competitive final round.

“I know it’s much more drama for all of you when the finish islike last week,” he said. “But I’d much rather have it when it’s like the U.S. Open.”

More Records Possible

He led by 10 strokes after three rounds at Pebble Beach, theonly competition coming from the record books. He tied the U.S.Open scoring record of 272, and shattered the record in relation topar by finishing 15 under.