Arjun Atwal could not build on a good start on the front nine, as he ended with a three-over 75 for the third round and went down to the tied 69th place at the US six-million dollars Wachovia Championships at the demanding Quail Hollow Golf Club.

The lead continued to stay with Sergio Garcia, who played some terrific golf for five-under 67 and extended his lead to a whopping six strokes over Fijian Vijay Singh [Images].

Atwal opened with a string of six pars and then birdied seventh and eighth giving rise to the hope that he might climb higher in standings.

But on the ninth, he doubled bogeyed and then came three more bogeys on tenth, 12th and 18th and he was way down once again.

The Indian's driving accuracy was down to a poor seven per cent as he hardly found a green. And then further his putting, too, was nothing to write home about, taking 31 putts for the round.

Still, for Atwal the consolation was that he could make every cut and force his way into the 2006 card.

Garcia was in menacing form as he decimated a world-class field as he made eight birdies in his first 15 holes and ended with a 67 that put him six strokes clear of the field.

Barring a few wayward tee shots into the trees, Garcia was playing superb and with his putter he was just unbeatable.

He pulled away with three straight birdies along the back nine, and even managed to hold his own against the tough finishing holes. That brought to 12-under 204.

Rookie D J Trahan, finished with a 71 and now at 6-under 210 keeps world No two Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk company in tied second.

Furyk, in his best since wrist surgery a year ago, carded a 69 and will be paired with the 25-year-old Garcia in the final round.

Vijay played in the final group with Garcia yesterday and shot a 71.

Tiger Woods [Images] missed many chances on the front nine and failed to make a birdie over last 11 holes to come back with a one-over 73 that left him at one-under 215 and 11 shots behind

Garcia.

Phil Mickelson was further behind after a 73 and he is at 1-over-par 217.

Garcia, holding a 54-hole lead on the PGA TOUR for third time, has won on other two occasions at the 2001 Buick Classic and last year's EDS Byron Nelson Championships.

Garcia drove into the trees on the fourth and came out well, but then pitched too hard and ended with a double bogey.

Trahan birdied the fifth and suddenly there was no lead.

Garcia birdied the fifth after a great chip on fifth and then the tournament changed after the turn.

Garcia dropped a shot on the 12th and then came his superb display. He rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th, then birdied the 14th from 10 feet and two-putted from 35 feet on the par-5 15th for his eighth birdie of the round and gave him a five-shot lead. Trahan just could not keep up.