Hunter Mahan, seeking his third PGA Tour victory, held a one-shot lead over fellow American Sean O'Hair midway through Sunday's final round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Hours after Tiger Woods had produced his worst ever finish on the US circuit after a final round 77, Mahan raced to the turn in a sizzling five-under-par 30 and was 11 under overall with six holes left at Firestone Country Club. O'Hair, co-leader overnight with compatriot Ryan Palmer, was alone in second after nine holes, a stroke in front of South African Retief Goosen and American Bo Van Pelt. Double US Open champion Goosen had completed 17 holes and Van Pelt 12 on a breezy but sunny afternoon at Firestone. Palmer had made the first move of the day at the top of the leaderboard, hitting his approach to six feet at the par-four first and knocking in the putt to edge a stroke in front. He slipped back, though, with a bogey at the par-five second after driving into a fairway bunker before playing partner O'Hair two-putted there for birdie to take charge. O'Hair sank a six-foot birdie putt at the fourth to stretch his lead briefly to two over Mahan and Palmer. Mahan clawed one shot back by coaxing in a 22-footer at the eighth before drawing level with O'Hair at 11 under with a four-foot birdie putt at the ninth to reach the turn in five under. O'Hair made his first error of the day at the par-four eighth, three-putting there from 22 feet to drop back into second place. Almost three hours before the overnight leaders teed off in the final round, Woods ended his tournament on an all-time low note. The American world No. 1 struggled to a stunning seven-over-par 77, his highest final score as a professional, to lie joint second-last in the 80-strong field. At one of his favorite venues where he had triumphed seven times in his previous 11 starts, Woods carded two double-bogeys in the last five holes to post an 18-over total of 298. It was his highest 72-hole aggregate on the PGA Tour, his worst relative to par and the first time since the 2003 PGA Championship he had strung together four rounds over par. Woods still No. 1 Despite poor form of his career, Tiger Woods will stay No. 1 in the world for another week. Phil Mickelson had a chance to become No. 1 in the world ranking for the first time in his career. He needed only to finish alone in fourth place Sunday but he crumbled.
