Bubba is wild but holds lead at Doral

DORAL, Fla. -- Bubba Watson hit one shot over the green and off a tower. Another shot hit a fan in the gallery. As wild as it looked at times, he never lost control of his game and he never lost the lead yesterday in the Cadillac Championship.

Watson raced off to an eagle-birdie start, then survived a few errant shots coming home on the Blue Monster for a 5-under 67, giving him a three-shot lead and putting him on the verge of his first World Golf Championship.

"All in all, it was a great day," he said.

His optimism was tempered not so much by the few guys chasing him, rather a golf course that for Watson remains an acquired taste.

"The challenge is the Blue Monster," Watson said.

It was more of a pushover in moderate wind, with Rory McIlroy thinking about a 59 with six holes to play, Tiger Woods making an early charge up the leaderboard and a dozen players signing for a 67 or better.

Watson was at 17-under 199. He will play in the final group Sunday with PGA champion Keegan Bradley, who had a bogey-free 66 and was at 14-under 202. Justin Rose was tied for the lead through 11 holes until Watson found his groove and Rose made too many mistakes in his 69.

"Three back, it's a lot to Bubba on this golf course," Rose said. "But at least there's not a lot of guys ahead of you. There's only one guy at 17 under, and the rest of the pack is right there, so it doesn't take much."

Indeed, only one other player was within five shots of the lead. Peter Hanson nearly holed a bunker shot on the 18th hole and shot 69, leaving him at 12-under 204.

McIlroy played the last six holes in 2 over and still shot 65, while Woods failed to do much after his birdie-birdie-birdie start. He twice made bogey on the par 5s and shot 68.

McNeill holds lead

George McNeill shot a 5-under 67 and took a one-shot lead over Henrik Stenson and Kevin Stadler going into the final round of the Puerto Rico Open. McNeill, at 13-under 203. Stenson had a 65, while Stadler, son of former Masters champion Craig Stadler, shot a 66. Former LIer Marc Turnesa is 12 shots back.