Tiger Woods on brink of matching history by winning 82nd PGA Tour event and equalling 54-year-old record

TIGER WOODS is on the brink of matching history by notching up his 82nd PGA Tour victory – and equalling a record that has stood for 54 years.

The Masters champ, 43, is leading by three at 18 under par in the Zozo Championship in Japan.

Victory here would be his first since having a fifth left knee operation just two months ago.

And history is on his side because he has NEVER lost a tournament when holding a three shot lead going into the final round.

Woods has seven holes of the fourth round to play and he will finish in the early hours of this morning.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is his closest challenger on 15 under. He started the final round three shots behind world No 10 Woods.

Woods played his second round in total anonymity because fans were banned from the course due to the violent storm that battered fairways and greens.

And he was hit in the head by a microphone thanks to a clumsy reporter.

But Tigermania came roaring back in rounds three and what he played of round four at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club.

Woods fired a third round four-under 66 to reach 16 under and he is two under through 11 holes of his final round.

The 15-time Major champion said: “It was good. I felt like I played all right, made a few mistakes but kept it pretty clean.

“I took my birdies when I had the opportunity. The greens are soft so you can fire at every flag.

“As the holes have gone by I have got more comfortable. I bogeyed the first three holes of my first round but after that it’s been pretty good.

“It’s been a long day in the saddle but I’m ready to get after it again.

“I have a job to do. I start on the 12th hole which is not exactly the easiest.”

‘Slamming’ Sam Snead was given credit for his record-setting total in 1965, when he also became the oldest players in PGA Tour history to win at age 52.

Phil Mickelson is the only other active golfer to make the top ten of the PGA Tour all-time win list with 44 titles to his name.