Westwood takes third-round lead in Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -Lee Westwood took advantage of some shaky play from Rory McIlroy and Thomas Bjorn to claim the third-round lead at the Dubai Desert Classic Saturday, shooting a a 5-under 67 to move one shot clear of Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain and two others.

Westwood was three shots behind overnight leaders McIlroy and Bjorn at the start of the third round but quickly closed the gap with three birdies in his first four holes. The third-ranked Englishman birdied the 13th for a share of the lead with Bjorn and then went ahead by one when the Dane bogeyed the 15th.

"I played well. I got off to a good start. I was 3-under par after four (holes)," Westwood said. "The only time I dropped two shots was when I hit two poor drives on 6 into the left rough, got a heavy lie and 8 hit it into the sand on right. Other than that very solid and gave myself lots of birdie chances."

With 21 European Tour titles to his name, Westwood said he will be counting on the experience that his closest challengers lack. Cabrera-Bello (70), Stephen Gallacher (68) and Marcel Siem (68) are a shot behind in second. They have a combined three titles.

"Yeah, I know how to play with the lead. What did I win, four times last year?" Westwood said with a wry smile. "When I get a chance, I'm pretty good at finishing off. I've won (38) times (worldwide). You know, that's not somebody that's not good with a lead. It's a habit. You get used to it, you know. You get used to knowing what to do; when to press, when not to press, when to be patient."

Coming into Saturday, it appeared Westwood's biggest challengers this weekend would be U.S. Open champion McIlroy and Bjorn, who beat Tiger Woods in 2001 to take the Dubai title.

But McIlroy dropped back early, after his tee shot on No. 7 went in the water led to his first bogey. It was a sign of the kind of struggles he would have all day, as missed putts and errant drives led to three more bogeys on the back nine.

"It was pretty ragged to say the least," McIlroy said. "I think the conditions were a little tougher, the wind got up, and had not really played in wind like that all week, so that sort of put me off a little bit, and the greens got a little firmer, pin positions were a little tougher ... just definitely didn't come as easy to me as it did the first couple of days."

The 22-year-old Irishman did well to remain in the hunt, making three birdies on the back nine including on the 18th for a 72. Only two shots back, McIlroy said he had similar experience in Hong Kong where he shot a 65 to win the tournament, so he is confident he could still claim his first victory in Dubai since 2009.

"Today is just not going to be a day where you hit it well and you're going to make plenty of birdies and give yourself opportunities," he said. "A day like today, you just have to try to stay as close to the leaders as possible and not let them get away from you. That's what we tried to do today and luckily I'm only two back which is a good thing."

With McIlroy faltering, it appeared that Bjorn would take advantage and did so early on. He took the outright lead when he birdied No. 7 and consolidated the lead with another birdie on No. 10. But everything went wrong on remainder of the back nine, as a tee shot in the bunker led to a bogey on 15. He followed that with two more bogeys on his last three holes.

Kaymer, who came into the round two shots back, birdied the third hole to keep pace. But he never seriously challenged, hitting a poor chip on No. 9 that led to his lone bogey. He collected two birdies on the back nine but said he didn't play very well.

"You want something so bad, and you know you can make those birdies. It's just a matter of time and it just didn't happen today," he said. "I want to say it's frustrating, but it doesn't get you into the right direction. You get stuck. But golf, you can't chase it. You have to wait and hopefully a few putts will drop tomorrow."

McIlroy is tied for fifth with 2010 PGA champion Martin Kaymer (70), Scott Jamieson (70) Joel Sjoholm (66). Bjorn (73) was a further shot back in a three-way tie for ninth with George Coetzee of South Africa and 2003 British Open Champion Ben Curtis.

Westwood will again be playing alongside the 148th-ranked Gallacher and 223rd-ranked Siem on Sunday - setting up a David versus Goliath scenario that played out last month when Robert Rock beat Tiger Woods in Abu Dhabi.

The two players said they relished the chance to play alongside a top player, adding that it helped they had the chance to experience the nervousness and pressure that comes with playing alongside Westwood. Both will be looking for their first wins since 2004.

"I played amateur golf with Lee. You know he is up there," said Gallacher, who had seven birdies in a bogey-free round. "What you have to do is try is just learn from him and stay with him. He sort of helps bring you along. All you can ask is to have a chance in the last round and see what happens."

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