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Tiger Vaults into Share of Lead in Abu Dhabi
Tiger Woods looked like his old self Saturday at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. The erstwhile No. 1-ranked player in the world fired a 6-under 66 to tie for the 54-hole lead in the European Tour event.
After two birdies on the front nine at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Woods reeled off four more on the back to go to 11-under 205 to take a share the lead with England's Robert Rock, who also had a 66.
Each round this week has gotten better for Woods; the 14-time major winner has put together scores of 70, 69 and 66 as he's adjusting to the course. "It just seemed like I didn't do a lot of things right but I didn't do a lot of things wrong today, it was just very consistent," he said.
"You know, made a couple putts here and there . . . I stayed away from trouble and tried to keep the ball towards the fat side of some of these pins and I think I did a pretty good job."
Rock, ranked 117th in the world, will be paired with Woods on Sunday. The 34-year-old from Staffordshire, who had a bogey and seven birdies - including two straight to end his round - hopes to stay calm while playing alongside such a competition-hardened veteran and before what promises to be a huge gallery.
"There's quite a lot of people out there (today) obviously following Tiger in the group in front of us. Hopefully we've got the same amount of people watching tomorrow, and we'll see how I cope with it," said Rock, who notched his first European Tour victory last year. "I just want to experience it. How many chances I'll get to do that, it's not clear."
Woods and Rock won't be the only contenders Sunday. Two strokes back lurk Peter Hanson, who shot Saturday's low round - an 8-under 64, Francesco Molinari (66), 2011 U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy (68) and 1999 British Open winner Paul Lawrie (68).
Hanson was thrilled with how his third round went. "It was one of those days where you have the best job in the world," said the 34-year-old Swede. "Struck it nice, made four easy birdies on the par-5s and then a few more, and it felt pretty easy somehow."
"I definitely felt today was a lot better than yesterday," said McIlroy, who took a two-stroke penalty Friday after brushing sand from in front his ball on the fringe of the ninth green. "I felt like I hit the ball a lot better. I feel that I made a couple of loose swings off the tee and obviously one on the last, and a couple others, but it's getting there.
"So hopefully I can just keep that going tomorrow and maybe get off to a fast start and put pressure on the guys in front of me."
Also in the mix at 8-under 208 are George Coetzee (65), James Kingston (67), Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (69) and 36-hole co-leader Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark (71). Tied for 11th at 209 are Thomas Bjorn (65), Jamie Donaldson (67), 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell (68) and young Italian Matteo Manassero (71).
Olesen's other co-leader, Gareth Mayin, shot an even-par 72 to fall into a tie for 15th at 210 with Keith Horne (68) and Richard Finch (71).
Woods realizes there's a long way to go before notching his first full-field victory since November 2009. "There's a ton of guys with a chance to win," he said Saturday afternoon. "You know, we have not separated ourselves from the field. The field is very bunched.
"I need to go out there and put together a solid round of golf, and I can't go out there and shoot even-par and expect to win. I've got to go out there and go get it."
In his 2012 season debut, No. 1-ranked Luke Donald is well down the leaderboard after carding rounds of 71, 72 and 73. He's tied for 55th at even-par 216. World No. 2 Lee Westwood is in a bit better shape. After a 68 Saturday, the 38-year-old Brit sits at 4-under 212, seven strokes out of the lead. Among the players he shares 27th place with is 2011 Masters' champion and eighth-ranked Charl Schwartzel, who posted a 72.
For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012004/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y.
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