Woods, Stricker and Baddeley deadlocked at BMW

LEMONT, Illinois, Sep 9 (Reuters) Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker and Aaron Baddeley were locked in a titanic struggle tied for the lead after nines holes at the BMW Championship today.

Stricker and Baddeley began the day with a one-shot edge but were quickly joined on top of the leaderboard by world number one Woods, who is chasing his 60th career title.

A three-times winner at the Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, Woods began his charge by picking up a stroke at the third before shifting into top gear to reel off three consecutive birdies from the seventh to briefly take the outright lead.

In contrast Stricker, winner of the first leg of the FedExCup four-event playoff at the Barclays two weeks ago, made a stuttering start with a bogey at the third.

But the American hit back with four birdies to head into the back nine on three-under.

Baddeley opened with a birdie at the first.

The Australian cancelled that out with a bogey at sixth before roaring into the turn with three straight birdies.

South Africa's Tim Clark was making a dramatic charge up the leaderboard mixing seven birdies with a bogey for a 29 first nine, matching the all-time lowest nine hole score in the championship's 104-year history.

The sizzling start moved him to 15-under through 10 holes, leaving him three off the pace.

Reuters TB RN0201