Grand Blanc, MI (My Sportsbook) - Tiger Woods fired a seven-under 65 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Buick Open.

Woods, a three-time winner this season, finished 54 holes at 17-under-par 199. He has won 15 straight events, and 26 of the last 27 times, when holding at least a share of the 54-hole lead.

Michael Letzig led most of the back nine, but hit a poor bunker shot on the 18th and closed with a double-bogey. Letzig carded a four-under 68 and is alone in second place at 16-under at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.

Second-round leader John Senden managed a one-under 71 Saturday and is alone in third at 15-under 201.

Woods was on fire early, but he was just keeping pace with Senden. Woods sank a 14-foot birdie try on two and followed with a birdie on three.

The two-time Buick Open champion kicked in a three-footer for birdie on four to make it three straight, but he was still three back.

Woods got up and down for birdie on the par-five seventh, but followed with a bogey at eight. He parred three straight around the turn and was two back.

"I hit some good shots there on the front, and I made three (birdies) in a row, but on five I lost my concentration a bit and hit a bad shot, but still made four," Woods said. "Overall, I hit it good on the front nine."

After a birdie on 12, Woods played his third from the fourth fairway to the 13th green. He dropped it nine feet from the hole and poured in the birdie putt to get within one of Letzig.

Woods hit his drive behind a tree on the par-five 16th, then chipped out to the fairway. Not to worry, as he knocked his third to nine feet and rolled that in for another birdie. He still trailed by one, but wasn't finished.

At the par-three 17th, Woods poured in a 33-foot birdie effort to join Letzig at 17-under.

"Seventeen was a nice putt. I've had that putt before, so I just remember it being actually a little bit faster than it looks," Woods explained. "Even though it's straight up the mound, for some reason it rolls up pretty good. So I didn't hit it quite as hard as it looked, but it worked out."

Woods also played the 18th from a different fairway and found a greenside bunker with his second. He got up and down for a closing par.

"Today was a scoring day. I hit it good on the front nine, but the back nine, I hit some loose shots and there was some scrambling and trying to keep pace. Guys were making birdies everywhere," said Woods, who is 46-3 overall when owning at least a piece of the 54-hole lead.

Senden led entering the third round and opened with an eagle on the first, but he couldn't get going after that. He parred six straight before bogeys on the eighth and 11th dropped him one shot behind Letzig.

Letzig traded a birdie for a bogey from the third and started his run at the lead with birdies on eight and nine. Letzig tapped in a two-footer for birdie on 10 to join Senden in the lead.

The 29-year-old Letzig made an eight-foot birdie effort on the 12th to lead by one. As Senden was trying to fight back into contention with birdies on 13 and 14, Letzig ran home an 18-foot birdie try on 14 to lead by one.

Letzig, who is winless on the PGA Tour, got up and down for birdie from just off the green at the 16th to remain one clear at 17-under. However, he knocked his approach into a bunker on 18 and hit a poor shot into the rough just above the lip of the bunker.

From there, Letzig chipped to 12 feet and two-putted for double-bogey to fall one behind Woods.

Matt Bettencourt (65) and Vaughn Taylor (69) are tied for fourth place at 14- under 202. Greg Chalmers (69), Charles Warren (68) and Jimmy Walker (69) are one stroke back at minus-13.