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Tiger Woods holds a three-shot lead from Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose after the third round at the Tour Championship.
Tiger Woods is set to have a worldwide TV audience and unprecedented Tour Championship crowds locked into the final round to see if he can mark his return from the doldrums with an 80th PGA Tour win.
The biggest crowds in five years at the FedEx Cup playoffs finale flooded Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club on day three to witness Woods secure his first 54-hole lead since August 2013, when he last tasted victory.
The 14-time major winner was almost robotic during a third round of five-under-par 65, which elevated him to 12 under - three shots ahead of playing partner Justin Rose (68) and Rory McIlroy (66).
Woods birdied six of his first seven holes, including five consecutive from the par-4 third.
"Yeah, I got off to a nice start," Woods said after carding the best round of the day.
Only two bogeys reminded fans Woods was human, the latter coming after a poor tee shot on the par-4 16th.
Now, the 42-year-old will rely on "muscle memory" to continue an astonishing record with an outright lead after the third round on the PGA Tour.
Woods has never lost a 54-hole lead of more than two shots and has converted 42 of the 44 tournaments where he was alone atop the leaderboard going into the final round.
"It's been literally years since I've been in those spots," he said.
"But I think I've been (there) enough times that muscle memory (should be enough); this is a spot I'd much rather be in.
"It's simple math; if I (shoot even par) the guys behind me have to shoot 67 to force it into extra holes ... that helps."
The presence of Woods in the 30-man Tour Championship, which he has won twice, yielded the highest opening-round TV ratings in six years.
With a chance to cap his remarkable comeback season from spinal fusion surgery with a win, Woods could send the sporting world into meltdown.
"I would love to be able to win this event; I've got a three-shot lead but a bunch of guys behind me are playing well; we'll see what happens tomorrow," he said.
Adding to the spectacle will be Woods playing in the final group with four-time major winner McIlroy - who many believed would take golf into a new era when Woods' career was engulfed by injuries and off-course scandals.
"(Woods) is a notoriously great front-runner; it'll be exciting to be up there and have a chance to win the golf tournament," McIlroy said.
Woods can also claim the $US10 million ($A13.7 million) FedEx Cup bonus for a third time if he wins the Tour Championship and has a series of lacklustre results from the top six players on the standings.
Meanwhile, Australia's Marc Leishman carded a 68 and countryman Jason Day a 69 and both sit at even par.
Queenslander Cameron Smith is two over after a 69.
