Lemont, September 9:

Steve Stricker eagled the eighth hole to keep pace with Tiger Woods, then surged ahead with birdie chances on every hole in a round of 7-under 64 on Saturday that left him tied with Aaron Baddeley in the BMW Championship.

Baddeley birdied his final two holes for a 65 that allowed him to join Stricker at 15-under 198 and play in the final group. Stricker, who won the first of the US PGA Tour’s “playoffs” at The Barclays, is in position to take a commanding lead in the chase for the FedEx Cup, with Woods or the absent Phil Mickelson having to win the Tour Championship to catch him.

Baddeley was a forgotten figure on the back nine. Then came a 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th, followed by an approach into five feet at the last to get into the final group.

With a card of 65, Woods was a stroke back and will be playing with Justin Rose, who birdied his last two holes to salvage a 69, leaving him five shots behind the leaders.

Baddeley is 11th in the playoff standings, and a victory would give him a chance to win the FedEx Cup. It will be his first time in the final pairing since the US Open.