BETHESDA, Md. – Stuart Appleby has seen this movie before. He’s simply hoping for a different – better – ending to this one.
Three months ago, Appleby woke up on an April Sunday morning holding a one-shot lead over Tiger Woods at the Masters in Augusta, Ga.
“There’s a lot of work left,” Appleby said prior to that final round. “There’s 18 holes, but to be honest, it’s way more than that.”
Indeed, by day’s end, he had plummeted to a tie for seventh after a difficult final-round 75.
This morning at Congressional Country Club, Appleby will again awake with a lead, this one a two-shot lead at Woods’ inaugural AT&T National. This time, Appleby is determined to close the deal.
Appleby, following a third-round 68 yesterday, stands at 9-under par, two shots ahead of K.J. Choi, three ahead of Steve Stricker and four ahead of Mike Weir.
Appleby is seeking his first victory since the 2006 Shell Houston Open.
As Woods’ close friend and neighbor in Isleworth, Fla., Appleby, too, is seeking home-course bragging rights.
Asked what it would mean to win Woods’ event, Appleby joked, “Well, I’d get no more respect, because I struggle to get any as it is with Tiger.”
“Look,” Appleby said, turning serious, “I’m not concerned who honors an event or who titles an event or anything, because winning – once you’ve won or had a drought – it feels great.
“And not winning feels a little shallow and empty. So if I could join all the good feelings in winning and have Tiger, in his inaugural event [present the trophy], I’m sure I’ll let him know. He’ll be back at me, trust me. He’s got a quick tongue.”
Indeed, Woods, who played well but failed to sink putts and make the kind of run he wanted to make on moving-day Saturday, didn’t count himself out despite trailing Appleby by seven shots at 2-under par.
Asked if being seven down and winning is “doable,” Woods said: “On this golf course? Yeah.”
Asked if Appleby would own bragging rights at Isleworth with a win, Woods said, “Yeah, for a little bit, but it’s not over yet.”
Woods, however, has never made up more than a five-shot deficit in a final round to win.
“I’ve got to make a run myself and see what happens,” Woods said. “I’ve got to take care of my own business, make a run and see what happens behind me.”
Kevin Stadler, who played with Woods and aced the 13th hole, was asked if he thought Woods could steal the tournament today.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “[Woods] would probably give you a different answer, but I think there are too many guys in between.”
Is Appleby concerned about Woods?
“I’m not worried at all about Tiger. He doesn’t care a hoot about what I’m doing. I need to shoot whatever tomorrow. He’ll just be going deep as much as he can.
“I’m not worried about him at all. I didn’t even look at the leaderboard [yesterday]. There was no point, because this course, if you look away and turn it away, it will turn around and slap you real quick.”
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Appleby cracked the face of his driver on the 16th hole and was having two new custom drivers flown in for his final round today.