Augusta, Georgia - Pre-tournament favourite Tiger Woods and Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington suffered huge blows to their hopes of winning the Masters in early third round action on Saturday. Saturday is traditionally called "Moving Day" at the Majors, but both men were going in the wrong direction.

The pair began on 2-under-par, but Woods double-bogeyed the first hole to drop back to even par, while Harrington had a nightmare with a nine at the par-five second to fall back to 1-over-par.

Beginning the day seven off the pace, Woods knew that he needed something in the mid 60s to put the pressure on overnight leaders Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry.

After driving into the trees on the left, Woods missed the green to the right of the first hole with his second shot.

The world No 1 would have been confident of getting up and down for par, but his chip was gathered up by a swale and he then three-putted, missing from around three feet to end up with a six.

Woods bounced back with a birdie at the third hole, but at just 1-under-par, he needed to get going quickly to get in touch with the leaders.

Harrington, chasing a third consecutive Major, began with a par, but his round turned to disaster with a horrible quadruple-bogey at the second to leave him 2-over-par.

To his immense credit, the Irishman birdied the par-four fifth hole but on 1-over-par, he was 10 shots off the pace.

Of the other early starters, two-time champion Phil Mickelson picked up an early birdie at the second hole to move to 4-under-par, five shots behind the leaders.(dpa)