Tiger tied for fourth on Day 3

Dubai: Tiger Woods goes into the last day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, tied for fourth one stroke off the lead with it, everything to play for after maintaining his seven under par score 71-66-77 into day three — while those above him failed to capitalize on their lead.

Having started his round with two bogeys only to birdie the third, Woods then bogeyed the eighth and double bogeyed the ninth to leave the front nine four over par. He then eagled the 10th and birdied the 11th before birdying 15 and bogeying 16 to then birdie the 18th for level par, in an emotional rollercoaster ride of a third round.

"It was tough out there," the former World No 1 later said.

"I got off to a tough start there and battled back and then lost it just before the turn; and battled back again and lost it again at 16 then battled back at 18," Woods added.

"If I get to even par, I thought it would be a good goal. And I got to even par with three shots to go, and I thought maybe I could get one or two more and actually post one under or two under and that would be great. It didn't happen that way, but I'll take even par."

Still in the game

Speaking of his position in the championship now with just the last round left to play, Woods, who is one shot from the lead having finished day one in 26th, day two tied for fifth and day three tied for fourth, said: "I'm only one back and still right there in the ballgame.

"There's a bunch of guys there in with a chance and with the weather tomorrow, you never know."

With day two leader Rory McIlroy dropping three shots to share his lead with Anders Hansen and Thomas Aiken at eight under it's all back open.

And with Sergio Garcia, who was at one stage leading on day three with 11 under par and then nine under par only to fall back to seven under par, anyone who had looked promising has quickly faded.

There's now three sharing top spot at eight under and seven players just a shot behind. Woods said: "We have a bunched leaderboard. There's a bunch of guys with a chance tomorrow. Sergio and Rory didn't pull away. So it gave everyone a chance coming into tomorrow — we have ten plus guys within a two or three shots of the lead so it will be interesting."

Aked what was to blame for no-one playing particularly well on day three and the top guys failing to pull away from the pack Woods said: "It was definitely windy out there.

Blustery day

"It was tough it was blustery. It was tough to hit the ball the proper distance. The greens are firming up quite a bit so it was just a tough day all round."

"We have played in conditions like this but we have never played with greens like this with no overseed, these greens are certainly firming up quite a bit. You have to play for some spring in them which we haven't had to do in the past. They have probably been faster than this but they have never been this springy."