Ames plans blinkered approach to take on Tiger

TULSA, Oklahoma, Aug 12 (Reuters) Stephen Ames, wary of the Tiger Woods factor, says he will try to adopt a blinkered approach to today's final round at the US PGA Championship.

The 43-year-old Canadian will play with Woods in the final pairing at Southern Hills Country Club after shooting a one-under-par 69 yesterday to climb into second place.

Ames trails the pacesetting Woods by three strokes and is well aware the game's leading player has a perfect record of 12 out of 12 when leading after 54 holes in major championships.

''I'm not going to be watching what he's doing,'' Ames told reporters after rolling in a 15-foot birdie putt at the last for a four-under total of 206.

''He's probably going to play a steady game as he does when he's in the lead. He's done it 12 times and won the 12 times when he's in the lead.

''He's a great front runner and he's going to be tough to beat, without a doubt. But I'm going to be conscious of what I'm doing, how I'm thinking. That's how I've got to play tomorrow.'' Ames, who played in the penultimate pairing at this year's US Open before tying for 10th, knows Woods's closest challengers have generally fallen away in the heat of major battle.

''It's probably because you're playing with Tiger,'' he said, after registering one bogey and two birdies on another sapping day at Southern Hills.

''He has that influence on players. It's probably going to happen to me. I don't know. I haven't been in this situation.

''My game plan tomorrow is to be conscious of what I'm doing and not to be conscious of what Tiger's doing. The only thing I have control over is myself, not him.'' BIGGEST TITLE Ames, who won the biggest title of his career at last year's Players Championship, is looking forward to the experience of playing with Woods in the final round of a major.

''It's a great opportunity,'' he said. ''Tiger's looking for his 13th (major) and I'm looking for my first.

''I'm aggressively trying to get closer to him. He's got a three-shot lead. Five in front of him might not be enough.

We're just trying to get close to him. That's all we're trying to do.'' Ames made headlines at last year's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship when he was crushed 9&8 by Woods in a first-round match.

Before their encounter, Ames was reported to have said about the world number one: ''Anything can happen, especially when he's hitting the ball.'' Woods, after inflicting the heaviest defeat in the tournament's history, simply said: ''9&8'' when asked for his reaction to the Canadian's comments.

Hardly surprisingly, Ames was not at all keen to delve into the past when asked yesterday for his memories of his heavy defeat.

''Are we here at the PGA Championship or are we here at the Match Play?'' he said. ''Which one are we talking about?'' When his questioner followed up by asking whether or not his comments were taken out of context, Ames replied: ''I don't know if I want to go there because you might take it out of context again. So we'll leave it at that. Next question.'' REUTERS KK SBA RAI0614