* Woods fails to make up ground

* Leaders struggle on opening hole

(Updates after Woods finishes third round)

AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 7 (Reuters) - American journeyman

Jason Dufner snatched the outright lead early in the third round

at the Masters on Saturday while a frustrated Tiger Woods failed

to make any ground to slip further out of contention.

Dufner, who began the day tied for the lead with compatriot

Fred Couples at five-under, suddenly found himself out in front

alone after just one hole.

Dufner safely parred the tricky opening hole, statistically

the most difficult on the course this week, while Couples made a

bogey on a perfect sunny day at Augusta National.

Woods, who needed to shoot a low score to get back into

contention, could only manage an even-par 72 to remain at

three-over on what is traditionally known as Moving Day.

The former world number one made a bright start, with

birdies at the third and fourth holes as the huge galleries

following him let out a mighty roar that echoed through the pine

trees and around the course.

But his early burst proved to be a false dawn and he failed

to make another birdie all day as his emotions started to boil

over.

On the 13th tee, he slapped his club into the ground after

hooking his drive into the banks of Rae's Creek. He recovered to

make par but his inability to conjure up any of his old magic

left him dejected.

The defending champion, South African Charl Schwartzel, also

lost ground after shooting a 75 to end the day at six-over.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who blew a four-shot lead

in the final round last year, made a terrible start to his third

round when he doubled-bogeyed the 445-yard opening hole to slip

back to two-under.

Bubba Watson and Spain's Sergio Garcia, who both started the

day in a five-way tie for third, also bogeyed the first hole,

while England's Lee Westwood and South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen

made par to join Couples at four-under.

American Brandt Snedeker, who tied for third at the 2008

Masters, grabbed the early clubhouse lead after superb round of

68 took him to a one-under total of 215.

(Editing by Frank Pingue)