LEMONT, Illinois -- Tiger Woods vaulted into contention while Vijay Singh grabbed the lead at the Cialis Western Open on Saturday.

Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, dropped out of the picture with a poor third round at Cog Hill.

Singh is at 11-under 202 for the tournament -- two strokes ahead of Carl Pettersson, Mathew Goggin, Stewart Cink, Trevor Immelman and Joe Ogilvie.

Singh shot an even 35 on the front nine but birdied three after the turn, including No. 17, to finish the round at 3-under 68. He was two strokes off the lead when the day began.

Woods is tied with defending champion Jim Furyk and Scott Gutschewski at 8 under, three shots behind Singh, after a 66 on the par-71 course.

Mickelson shot 75 on Saturday and is 3 over for the tournament.

Woods continued to rebound after missing the cut at the U.S. Open and shooting 1-over 72 on Thursday. A 67 on Friday put him at 3 under heading into the third round and set the stage for his leap toward the top of the leaderboard.

Woods birdied three of the first five holes on Saturday. After a bogey on 10, he eagled the par-5 11th. A bogey on 14 put him at 3 under for the day, but he birdied the next two holes.

"It was nice to actually make some putts and piece together something out there because, obviously, my last tournament I didn't do that," said Woods, a three-time winner at Cog Hill.

Woods took nine weeks off before the U.S. Open -- brought on by the May 3 death of his father -- and was in danger of missing the cut again after the first round of this week's event. He put in extra time on the range the past few days and the work paid off.

His putting improved. His irons were better.

Mickelson, however, was all over the place.

Playing his first tournament since the U.S. Open, Mickelson was one stroke off the lead at 4 under after Thursday's opening round but carded a 74 on Friday. He was 1 over through the front nine on Saturday, 2 over after bogeying the par-3 12th, and 3 over after a bogey on the par-5 15th. Mickelson birdied No. 17 but finished with a double-bogey on 18.

His approach on the final hole sailed wide right and settled between a bunker and the rope. His next shot landed in the sand.

"There's plenty of time to get sharp," said Mickelson, who has already visited Royal Liverpool, the host of this year's British Open.

For Woods there is no better time than this weekend.

"Right now, I'm trying to get a 'W,"' Woods said. "I've always thought that was the best way to prepare for any major championship."

Mickelson acknowledged he is focusing more on the upcoming major and the one that got away rather than this weekend's tournament. He is spending nights reviewing the course at Royal Liverpool, not Cog Hill.

"With only another week left, really, to get ready for the British, I am looking ahead and hopefully will get my game sharp," Mickelson said.

He said Royal Liverpool is similar to courses in the United States.

"There are not as many run-up shots as we're used to seeing because a lot of bunkers cut in front of the green and force you to try to carry (the shot) over it, whereas St. Andrews and Royal Troon, you can putt it 200 yards along the ground," Mickelson said. "You can't do that here. You can get ready for the British Open here at Cog Hill by hitting a lot of shots at the front edge and letting it release back."

Daniel Chopra, the surprise leader at 10 under after two rounds, shot a 76 and is at 5 under for the tournament, six strokes off Singh's pace.

©The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.