Harrington in the pack

From Brian Keogh in California

Padraig Harrington tried not to think of Christmas as Tiger Woods battled to hold off a charging Jim Furyk in the Target Word Challenge in Los Angeles.

The Dubliner three-putted six times in the first three rounds and added two more three-putts on the front nine yesterday to trail leader Woods by a massive 18 shots on two under.

Harrington was soon "just" 14 behind Woods after birdies at the 12th and 13th got him to four under par and Woods faltered.

Six clear overnight, the world No 1 birdied the first and fifth to remain six shots clear of Furyk on 20 under par.

But as Furyk birdied the seventh and eighth to get to 16 under par and four under for the day, Woods three putted the seventh and then bogeyed the ninth to see his lead cut to two shots at the turn.

After Saturday's 75 killed his hopes of winning the title, Harrington said he had to focus on getting through the final round instead of thinking of his Christmas dinner.

He said: "I am not competitive. I am not sharp. But if I started thinking the season was all over, I would have no motivation for the final round."

The Dubliner three putted the par three third from 60 feet to drop to two under par before he birdied the fifth.

But he then three-putted from inside seven feet at the sixth and had to hole a seven footer just to avoid another three-putt at the ninth.