THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Anthony Kim put himself into position yesterday for the Tiger two-step.

Kim finally figured out some flaws in his putting, hit an exquisite shot with a wedge from a buried lie in the side of a hill, and wound up with a 5-under 67 to build a one-shot lead over Jim Furyk in the Chevron World Challenge.

If Kim can hang on to win, maybe this time Tiger Woods can congratulate him in person.

Woods is the tournament host at Sherwood Country Club, an end-of-the-year exhibition for charity. He also is host of the AT&T National at Congressional, a regular PGA Tour event that Kim won to stamp his arrival as an emerging star. He had to settle for a phone call from Woods that day because Woods was still on crutches from season-ending knee surgery.

"I'm excited to be here," Kim said. "And obviously, when Tiger's name is attached to anything, you're willing to play."

The trophy comes attached with a $1.35 million check, which wouldn't be bad, either.

Kim had some help in building the 54-hole lead, primarily from Furyk. After consecutive birdies to regain the lead, Furyk hit a poor tee shot on the 18th and dumped his approach into the pond in front of the green, leading to double bogey and a 70.

Kim was at 8-under 208, but the lead was tenuous.

Five players were separated by two shots, the others being Vijay Singh (67), Steve Stricker (68) and Camilo Villegas (69) at 210.

"I am very pleasantly surprised," Kim said. "My body is not 100 percent healthy right now, and to be able to shoot under par on a tough golf course, especially when there's some tricky pins out there and the rough is penal sometimes, it's given me quite a bit of confidence going into next year — and especially tomorrow."

SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN

WESTWOOD LEADS BY 2

PAARL, South Africa — Lee Westwood shot a 4-under 68 yesterday to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the South African Open Championship.

Westwood made four birdies in a bogey-free round to reach 14-under 202, while overnight leader Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France had a 72 and is tied for second with Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin (69).

"I'm pleased with the way I played the last three days, very solid," Westwood said.

Ernie Els slipped out of contention with a 77, leaving Retief Goosen (69) and George Coetzee (68) as the highest-placed South Africans in a tie for fourth, three shots off the lead.

VOLVO MASTERS

FIVE TIED IN THAILAND

BANGKOK, Thailand — Australia's David Gleeson, one of five players tied for the lead, matched the course record yesterday with a 9-under 63 in the third round of the Asian Tour's season-ending Volvo Masters.

Joining Gleeson atop the leaderboard at the Thai Country Club were fellow Australian Marcus Both (70), Thai pair Chapchai Nirat (70) and Chawalit Plaphol (69), and second-round leader Lam Chihbing (72) of Singapore.

Gleeson tied the course record, set by Canadian Jim Rutledge in 1997, despite a bogey on his first hole. He followed with two eagles for a 29 coming in.