Tiger shoots 3-under 69 in third round of Arnold Palmer Invitational

ORLANDO, Fla. - If Tiger Woods is going to win a ninth career Arnold Palmer Invitational title this week, he'll need one of his trademark Sunday afternoon final-round charges.

Following opening rounds of 68-72, Woods posted a respectable 3-under 69 in the third round, thanks to six birdies against three bogeys.

That overall total of 7-under, though, leaves him a handful of strokes behind the current leaders, while fellow contenders include the likes of Henrik Stenson, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy.

Woods added a few electric moments to his personal highlight reel on Saturday. On the third hole, he dropped in a sidewinding 38-foot birdie putt to negate the previous hole's bogey. On the 11th, he hit a laser from 186 yards to inside 10 feet and made the putt. On the par-5 16th, with his ball just below the fairway bunker lip, he decided against laying up, then flew trees and water to find the green, later two-putting for another birdie. And on the final hole, a 12-foot birdie putt was punctuated by an enthusiastic fist pump to end his day.

The third-round 69 breaks a small string of third-round improvement during Woods' three previous made cuts this year. He posted a 70 on Saturday of the Farmers Insurance Open, 68 at the Honda Classic and 67 at last week's Valspar Championship.

Of Woods' eight career victories at Bay Hill, the largest 54-hole deficit he's overcome was 5 strokes back in 2009.