Don't be so quick to dismiss this Masters Tournament that has had so little feel and even less sound so far.

Tiger Woods (right), shown with Paul Casey, will try to win his fifth green jacket and 13th major today despite not leading heading into the final round. (Annette M. Drowlette/Staff)

After all, when they compare Tiger Woods' five victories at Augusta National Golf Club, this one will stand out.

This will be the one he rallied to win, finally claiming a major when he didn't take the lead into the final round. This will be the time he charged to the finish on the most dramatic stage in golf rather than walking to a win at Augusta.

That's really all that can happen today.

Not only because Woods, even a shot off the lead, is still the favorite to win, but also because, at this point, it's the only thing that can save the week.

Let's be honest, this has not been much of a Masters Tournament.

The first three days have been cold and quiet. And the field continued to make less noise Saturday than the crowd on the worst scoring day at Augusta in 51 years, although it was only marginally poorer than the two days that preceded it.

Put it this way - the biggest rush of the third round came in the morning, when Masters-logoed stocking caps suddenly appeared in the gift shop and sold out in 15 minutes. After that it was another sleepy day of uneventful golf, when the course played too hard, the field played too cautiously and the weather played too many games with everybody.

Nevermind the comparisons to the U.S. Open. This week has been about as interesting as a B.C. Open.

And you have to know it's not going to end that way.

The Masters isn't going to come and go with such little excitement.

So Tiger charging out of a crowd, knocking people aside the way Jack Nicklaus did in some of his most dramatic victories, would leave people talking about this week just as they do when they leave here every April.

That's not the only result possible today, but it sure would be the best one.

Locally, Vaughn Taylor winning would be more memorable. The kid who not only grew up in Augusta but also decided to stay here after he made it big as a pro would be a good champion for nice guys everywhere.

An entire continent would rather see Stuart Appleby regain the lead he built, threw away and then got back again in the third round to become the first Australian Masters champion.

And there are small groups sitting around living rooms that will be rooting for Jerry Kelly or Bradley Dredge or Zach Johnson to become the biggest surprise winner at Augusta since Larry Mize 20 years ago.

But none of that would captivate more golf fans than Tiger would by winning in a rally.

It's about the only thing he hasn't done in golf, if only because he hasn't had to. He has led heading into the final round in every one of his 12 major victories.

And he has rarely been threatened in that position. Not that it would be much of a comeback today, when he'll play in the final group with Appleby.

He did most of the hard work the past two days, turning "a 90 into a 74'' in the second round and then moving from 15th place to second even after ending his even-par round Saturday with consecutive bogeys.

"It's not like I'm a hundred back,'' said Woods, who trailed by four when he completed his round but picked up three more by the time he left the course. "So I got a shot at it.''

It's one of the few shots in golf that he has not pulled off yet, never winning a major from anywhere but the front seat on Sunday. Well, he has to now.

Not only because there probably isn't anybody on the leaderboard who can beat him, but also to keep this Masters from finishing as the bust it's been so far.

Reach Tim Guidera can be reached at (912) 652-0352.