THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF. (AP) - Tiger Woods birdied two of his last three holes to salvage an even-par 72 in the wind and keep his two-shot lead over Zach Johnson in the World Challenge on Saturday.
The score looked routine. The third round was not.
Wind that pushed away some light rain at the start of the round created havoc in the foothills of Sherwood Country Club. Woods hit a tee shot in the water and three-putted from about 6 feet on a par 5. But he finished strong and was at 11-under 205.
Johnson also finished with two birdies, including a 20-footer on the 18th for a 72.
Bubba Watson three-putted the 18th for a 69 and was four shots behind. No one else was closer than six shots of Woods.
NEDBANK GOLF CHALLENGE
SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) _ Jamie Donaldson maintained his three-shot lead through the third round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, putting the Welshman in sight of his biggest career payday in his Sun City debut.
Donaldson had six birdies and a bogey in a 5-under 67 to stay ahead of American Ryan Moore and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn. Donaldson had a 16-under 200 total.
Moore had a 67, and Bjorn shot 67.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, playing for the first time since ending last season with the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup and European Tour’s Race to Dubai titles, was five strokes back along with Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee. Stenson had a 69, and Garcia and Jaidee shot 66.
The European Tour is sanctioning the event for the first time.
HONG KONG OPEN
HONG KONG (AP) _ Wales’ Stuart Manley moved into position for his first European Tour title, shooting a 4-under 66 to take the third-round lead in the Hong Kong Open.
Manley had a 10-under 200 total in the event also sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
Australia’s Wade Ormsby and India’s Shiv Kapur shot 66 to pull within a stroke.
Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain had a 65 to top the group at 8 under. Last year, Jimenez became the oldest champion in European Tour history, winning at 48 years, 318 days. He also won the event in 2005 and 2008.
DUBAI LADIES MASTERS
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) _ Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum rallied to win the Dubai Ladies Masters, hitting a 54-degree wedge to 2 feet on the par-5 final hole for a birdie and a one-stroke victory over American Stacy Lewis.
The 24-year-old Phatlum closed with a 6-under 66 to finish at 15-under 273 in the Ladies European Tour’s season-ending event. She also birdied the par-4 17th at Emirates Golf Course.
The third-ranked Lewis, a three-time winner this year on the LPGA Tour, bogeyed the par-3 15th and closed with three pars for a 69. She missed a 40-foot birdie putt on No. 18.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was third at 7 under after a 71.
LPGA TOUR QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) _ Jaye Marie Green increased her lead to nine strokes in the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament, reaching 25 under after four rounds.
The 19-year-old Green, from Boca Raton, had a 5-under 67 on LPGA International’s Hills Course. She has gone 57 holes without a bogey since dropping a stroke on her 15th hole Wednesday in an opening 62.
South Korea’s Mi Rim Lee was second after a 69, also on the Hills Course. She had a course-record 61 on Friday on the Jones Course.
The top 20 after the final round Sunday will earn Category 12 status, Nos. 21-45 and ties will receive membership in Category 17, and the other players who made the 72-hole cut will get Symetra Tour status.
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