Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson charge in third round of Masters

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have combined to win seven Masters. Both improved their chances with strong third rounds Saturday.

Woods began the day 12 shots behind leader Jordan Spieth, who set the tournament's 36-hole record at 14 under. However, the four-time winner at Augusta National quickly closed the gap with three birdies in a row starting on No. 2.

He nearly made a hole-in-one at the par-3 fourth, his tee shot stopping less than a foot for the cup for a tap-in 2. He other birdie on the front nine came on No. 8.

He sandwiched birdies on the 13th and 15th holes with a bogey on the 14th to improve to 7 under for the tournament. However, he dropped a shot on No. 18 after his approach to the green went into a bunker to finish with a 4-under 68 and end the day at 6 under for the tournament.

Like Woods, Mickelson started with birdies on second, third and fourth holes.

A birdie on No. 9 matched the front-nine 32 of Woods and briefly put him in second place at 10 under with Charley Hoffman, five shots behind Spieth.

Mickelson gave a shot back with a bogey on No. 11. He then saved par from a bunker on the 12th and responded with birdies on No. 13, No. 15 and on No. 16 with a long birdie to improve to 12 under.

The momentum was stalled with a bogey on No. 17. A par at No. 18 gave him a round of 5-under 67.

He still was a long way behind Spieth, who has made 22 birdies in the tournament and was cruising along until a double bogey on No. 17.

Still, he finished the day ahead of Justin Rose by four shots and five in front of Mickelson. Charley Hoffman, who played in the final pairing with Spieth, is six shots back in fourth.

Woods is 10 back and will need to post a low score to try to win his fifth green jacket.

PHOTOS: SATURDAY AT THE MASTERS