Tiger Woods on the prowl in the third round of Open Championship

Tiger Woods is five-under thru 12 in the third round of the Open Championship, getting within one shot of the lead.

It’s a sight that seemed improbable just a year ago: Tiger Woods near the top of the Open Championship leaderboard.

Woods is five-under on his third round thru 12 holes to get within one of the lead. He got off to a good start with birdie on the fourth and another on the par-five sixth, “Hogan’s Alley,” for the first time this week.

But it was starting at the ninth that Woods made his charge. A long birdie putt there was followed by a great approach to the 10th, setting up a tap-in. At the 11th he made his third birdie in a row to get to five-under and within one. Woods gave up the conservative approach he had the first two rounds, hitting driver on both the ninth and 10th.

Earlier this week Woods seemed to foreshadow his success this week. He suggested that the Open is his best chance to win another major because of the nature of links golf.

“I would say yes, because of the fact that you don’t have to be long to play on a links-style golf course,” he said at his press conference before the tournament. “You get to places like Augusta National, which is just a big ballpark, and the golf course outgrows you, unfortunately. But links-style courses, you can roll the ball. Even if I get a little bit older, I can still chase some wood or long club down there and hit the ball the same distance.”

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Woods hasn’t won a major since 2008. In the past few years it seemed unlikely he would even contend again as he battled a series of back injuries. It is just 458 days since he had his fourth back surgery. A three-time Open champion, he has not played in the Open since 2015 and last lifted the Claret Jug twelve years ago.

Woods is not the only player making a move on Saturday. Defending champion Jordan Spieth eagled the first and made another birdie at the fourth to tie for the lead. Earlier in the day Justin Rose shot 64, a record for an Open at Carnoustie, to jump into the top 10.

Leaders Kevin Kisner and Zach Johnson tee off at 4 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET).