TIGER Woods stumbled to a career-worst round of 85 in the third round of the Memorial Tournament in Ohio on Saturday.

Woods, whose previous worst of 82 came at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in January, struggled throughout and was already nine over par before finishing with a quadruple-bogey on the par-four 18th.

Bogeys on the fourth and fifth holes and double-bogeys on the eighth and ninth saw the 14-time major winner make the turn already six over par, but things would only get worse.

The 39-year-old bogeyed the 11th, 12th and 14th holes before taking a shot back on the par-five 15th.

Woods then dropped a further stroke on the 17th before it all went wrong on the 18th.

He sent his tee shot into a water hazard, then found further trouble as he hit a bunker before finally making the green in five shots.

But his problems were not over as he three-putted before making a swift exit, declining to speak as he went.

Woods, who has insisted he is feeling better after recent back problems, had already had his struggles this week, opening his first round with three bogeys in the first four holes and a double-bogey on the 18th, but made the cut with a round of 70 on Friday.

Although Woods declined to speak, his playing partner Zac Blair - who carded a 70 - backed his former hero to bounce back.

"I've always wanted to play with him," Blair said. "As a little kid that was kind of my dream growing up. But it was unfortunate to see him not play great.

"I thought he handled it great. He never got super outwardly emotional.... but I don't think he ever got disrespectful out there. And he was always super courteous to me and friendly. It was nice to see that."

Blair later added via Twitter: "I hope to get to play many more years with him on the PGA Tour and I know he will get back to being the best player in the world."

Meanwhile, Sweden's Alex Noren will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Nordea Masters after home players filled six of the top eight places in Malmo.

Noren defied winds gusting up to 30mph to card a superb third round of 67 at PGA Sweden National and finish 11 under par, with Germany's Max Kieffer his nearest challenger after three birdies in the last five holes in his 70.

Home favourites Sebastian Soderberg and Jens Dantorp shared third place on eight under with world number four Henrik Stenson, Steven Jeppesen and Kristoffer Broberg all six under.

Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen, who ended a six-year winless drought with victory in the Irish Open on Sunday, split the home contingent on seven under after a 68.

Teenage amateur Marcus Kinhult, who had shared the overnight lead with Dantorp, fell eight shots off the pace after a 77 which included double bogeys on the 15th and 17th.

Noren, who played just two events in 2014 due to tendonitis in both wrists, has won three times on the European Tour, his last win coming in this event in 2011.

"I knew I would play again but I didn't know when," said the 32-year-old from Stockholm, who finished second in the Dubai Desert Classic in February and was eighth in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth a fortnight ago.

"This year has been fantastic with a few good finishes and steadier play. I'm really trying to work on hitting the right shot at the right times and a day like today was a good test.

"Maybe before I was little more one-dimensional in my game, just hitting a fade, but now I am trying to hit it both ways and it's working a little bit better.

"I'm very happy to play the way I did today, especially my putting. It would be great to win this event again but there's still another 18 holes to play."

Kjeldsen relished the same windy conditions which prevailed at Royal County Down last week, the 40-year-old carding six birdies and two bogeys to surge through the field.

"I was very determined to played well this week," he said. "I didn't see any reason why I shouldn't. The game felt good and mentally I was ready to play again.

"I was a bit tired for a few holes on Thursday and the last two on Friday, but I decided not to practice after my round yesterday, which is pretty unusual for me. I think that was the right move and I felt good today.

"It's seriously windy again but this is what I grew up in. I love playing in this, I can shape my shots and hit it relatively low and use my short game so it's been good conditions for me."

Stenson has yet to win a European Tour title on home soil but gave himself a fighting chance with a 68 which contained an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys.

"I'm happy with the score," the Ryder Cup star said. "We're still going to be a way back (tomorrow), but at least we have a chance. It was a bad momentum killer to three-putt the 17th but I got it back on the 18th and this wind is going to thin out the number of guys at the top."