Tiger Woods takes his place at the center of golf's greatest stage today armed with a record nine-shot cushion and poised to break down a few barriers at the Augusta National Golf Club.

Barring a collapse of Greg Norman-like proportions today, the 21-year-old Woods will be slipping on a size 42-long green jacket late this afternoon as the youngest, and the first minority champion in tournament history.

Norman, of course, led by six shots after three rounds in 1996 and lost by five to Nick Faldo.

``I promise you that Nick Faldo is not going to be putting the green jacket on this kid after three rounds,'' Tom Kite said. ``We know from past experience that it doesn't always pan out.''

``Faldo is not lying second and Greg Norman is not Tiger Woods,'' said Colin Montgomerie, who watched Woods scorch the Augusta National with a bogey-free, 7-under-par 65 on Saturday, the low round of the tournament.

Woods, who has played his last 45 holes in 19-under-par fashion, also is tied for the next-best round of the tournament, a 66, fired on Friday.

``Whether I shoot 69, 62 or 72 (in the final round), it really doesn't matter,'' Woods said. ``The only thing I want is a green jacket in my closet.''

Italy's Costantino Rocca (70 on Saturday) is in second place behind Woods and will be paired with him today. Paul Stankowski (69) is 10 shots back and Tom Watson (69) and Kite (66) are 11 back.

``I can win maybe if I play nine holes - and under par, too,'' Rocca said.

Even at his age, Woods is thinking of his place in history. He's already the first golfer to win three U.S. Juniors and three U.S. Amateur titles and reached the $1 million dollar mark in career earnings on the PGA Tour quicker than anyone in history.

``Winning the Masters would mean a lot to me, for a number of reasons,'' Woods said. ``I would be the youngest and that means no one else has ever accomplished that. More importantly in my estimation, it would open up a lot of doors and opportunities for others who never thought of playing the game. It's going to do a lot for the game as far as minority golf is concerned.''

And, perhaps he is mindful that it's been only six years since the Augusta National accepted its first minority member or that he could become the first minority to win any of the four major professional championships.

``This seems to be the next generation,'' Kite said of Woods. ``He seems to have leapfrogged the rest of the field.''

The biggest lead in Masters history after 54 holes was eight shots, by 1976 winner Raymond Floyd.

Woods is simply lapping the field with 18 holes to play. The main question is will he break Jack Nicklaus' record for largest margin of victory. Nicklaus won by nine shots in 1965.

``I'm 9 shots ahead, granted it's a pretty big lead and I'm playing well,'' Woods said. ``I need to go out there and shot a pretty good number. It's going to be a tough day thinking about all the things that can happen.''

Not if Woods overpowers the course like he has in the first three rounds. He leads the field in average driving distance by 14.6 yards over the next-closet golfer, with an average of 328.8. Woods also is tied for 15th in putting, averaging 27.3 putts per round.

Woods overpowered the 6,925-yard Augusta National for the third straight day on Saturday, hitting wedges and sand-wedges approach shots at almost every turn.

``He's a boy among men and he's showing the men how to play,'' said Watson.

Woods is 10-under-par on the par-5 holes for the tournament, most of which he's reached in two shots each day. The longest iron he's hit into a par-4 hole all week is a 7-iron.

``I'm thinking well and controlling the distances on my clubs,'' Woods said. ``That's a good combination.''

``He's got what it takes to take control of a golf course and the field,'' Wason said of Woods.

``He's driving us crazy; he's really doing some incredible stuff,'' Kite said. ``The golf course is set up for him, especially now. The fairways are softer now because of the rain so it's almost impossible to miss the fairways. He's playing a golf course that is wonderfully suited for him and playing it incredible well.''

Woods' 201 tied Ray Floyd's Masters record for low 54-hole total.

``That's absolutely an incredible thing,'' Kite said. ``The years that Jack Nicklaus and Raymond Floyd shot the 271, the year Hogan shot 274, that's kind of the way the rest of the field must have felt watching that.''

With a 69 or better today, Woods would break Floyd and Nicklaus' long-standing tournament record of 17-under-par 271, once thought untouchable, especially since the bent grass era started in 1981.

Woods can also break Hogan's 50-year record of consecutive holes without a bogey. Hogan went 43 holes during the 1947 Masters without a bogey. Woods is currently at 33 with his last bogey coming on the third hole in the second round. Since shooting a 4-over-par 40 on the front nine in the first round, Woods has made one bogey.

Woods can break Arnold Palmer's record for lowest score on the back nine in a Masters. Woods is 13-under for the back nine. Palmer has the record at 12 under.