Orlando, Fla. ? The first meeting this year between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els was hardly the showdown everyone anticipated. As usual, Woods was the only show Saturday at the Bay Hill Invitational.

Dominant in every phase of the game, Woods left his top rival and everyone else in his wake with a 6-under 66 that gave him a five-stroke lead and virtually assured him another place in the record books.

Woods, who has never lost a PGA Tour event when leading by more than one stroke going into the final round, was 18 holes away from becoming the first player in more than 70 years to win the same tournament four straight years.

Woods was at 15-under 201, and a 54-hole lead of any margin is a huge advantage for him. He is 27-2 when he has at least a share of the lead entering the final round.

“He’s still the man,” Els said after a 72 that left him 10 strokes behind. “He loves playing with me, I can promise you that.”

Woods sensed a high level of energy in the crowd, but he wasn’t concerned with his playing partners, or even a fourth straight Bay Hill title.

“I knew I had to take care of business today and set myself up for tomorrow,” he said.

Brad Faxon, who also played in the final group with Woods at Torrey Pines, had only two pars over his final 12 holes in a round of 65 that left him at 10-under 206.

Asked what was a reasonable deficit to make up on Woods, Faxon smiled and said, “How about him four strokes behind?”

Els, the No. 2 player in the world who already has won four times this year, was in the final group Saturday with Woods, albeit four strokes behind.