Tiger Woods (Stats | Bio) (Stats | Bio) stumbled there. So did Jeff Maggert (Stats | Bio) .

In last year's final round, Augusta National Golf Club's third hole struck twice, derailing both Woods and Maggert in their quests to win the Masters Tournament.

So far this year, the short par-4 (350 yards) with the tiny, elevated green has caused few problems for the group of golfers remaining in the hunt.

It's been one of the easiest holes on the course and shows none of the bite that destroyed Woods' chance at a third consecutive green jacket and left Maggert, who was the leader after 54 holes, exasperated and deflated with a triple bogey.

Co-leader Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) (Stats | Bio) has birdied the hole the past two days. Chris DiMarco (Stats | Bio) , who is tied with Mickelson at 6-under, has made par all three rounds.

Bernhard Langer, who is three shots behind, birdied it Thursday.

Paul Casey (Stats | Bio) , who is two shots back, said his birdie on No. 3 helped kick-start a round in which he went from par to 4-under for the tournament.

Still, there are dangers at No. 3, which 1973 Masters champion Tommy Aaron (Stats | Bio) calls "one of the harder holes on the course.''

The wind can kick up at any time, and the short distance from tee to green lures golfers into thinking they can drive the green, despite the presence of bunkers on the left side of the fairway. John Daly (Stats | Bio) did it in Friday's second round, and Woods almost did it on Friday, despite last year's mistake.

Woods said his caddie, Steve Williams, talked him into using his driver, and the shot found the azaleas on the right side of the fairway. A shrub kept him from using his normal stance, so Woods was forced to attempt a left-handed shot, which landed in the fairway.

He overshot the green, used his fourth shot to get on the green and then two-putted for a double-bogey that put him out of contention.

"Last year, the wind, it was blowing just a touch down, and I decided to hit driver,'' Woods said Tuesday. "I hit a bad shot, and consequently, you know, decided to mess up the hole even further from there.

"It was the first time I've ever hit driver when the pin has not been back right. I just got out of my game plan and it ended up costing me a chance to win the tournament.''

For most of last year's final round, Maggert played brilliantly. He had five birdies and 11 pars. The third hole, however, was the first of two slips that caused him a shot at the championship.

Maggert hit his tee shot into the bunker, and tried to blast out with a sand wedge. Instead, the ball hit the lip of the bunker, ricocheted back and hit him in the chest, costing him a two-stroke penalty and leaving him with a triple bogey.

He later had an 8 on No. 12, effectively ending any remaining chances he had at winning.

Earlier this year, Maggert said what happened on No. 3 "was kind of a freak of nature, I guess.''

Davis Love III (Stats | Bio) was at 2-under when he came to No. 3 on Saturday.

He bogeyed the hole, the first of six on the day, and finished the round with a 2-over 74.

Ernie Els (Stats | Bio) , who has made par on No. 3 in all three rounds, knows the dangers of the small par-4.

He said being conservative is the smart play.