Golf

Woods' 67 grabs tie in starry field

By wire services
Published February 5, 2006

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Maybe shaving the goatee had something to do with it.

Five years ago Tiger Woods blew his chance to win the Dubai Desert Classic on the 18th hole, sending a ball into the drink. On Saturday he rallied on the same hole's sprawling green to grab a share of the lead.

"It a pretty funky hole," said Woods, who played it this time with a ricochet shot that led to birdie for 5-under-par 67 that put him atop the leaderboard with Anders Hansen, a Dane.

They are just ahead of Retief Goosen, No. 3 in the world, and Ernie Els, who has fallen to No. 5 since a knee injury last year.

Woods, who won the Buick Invitational in San Diego last week, is back to clean-shaven.

"I forgot to bring my clippers, and it was getting really itchy," he said.

After hooking his drive on 18 into palm trees, Woods overclubbed with a 4-iron and flew his approach over the pond and into the grandstands. A fan made the catch and flipped the ball down to Woods, who smiled back.

"I had a backboard to hit it up against, which was nice," said Woods, who took a drop, chipped to 5 feet and made birdie putt on the 537-yard hole, which ends on a sweeping double green that also serves the ninth hole.

None of this was accidental, of course.

"Stevie and I checked it out yesterday, just to see where you're going to miss," Woods said, referring to caddie Steve Williams.

That was typical of Woods' scrambling day. Saturday was mostly survival - a fight with breezy desert winds and adjustments to the drying greens at the Emirates Golf Club.

Goosen, who was the co-leader after two rounds with Hansen, carded 70 to fall one stroke off the pace at 15-under. Three more were two behind the leaders - defending champion Els (68), Miguel Angel Jimenez (66) and Richard Green (69).

Woods is said to have received $3-million to play the event, with the total prize money only $2.4-million.

PGA TOUR: Tour rookie J.B. Holmes shot 6-under 65 to take a one-shot lead in the FBR Open as a raucous record crowd of 168,337 partied around him at Scottsdale, Ariz. The 23-year-old Kentuckian was at 16-under 197 through 54 holes.

Second-round leader J.J. Henry (70) and Ryan Palmer (64) were one back at 15 under. Justin Leonard shot 65 and David Toms had 66 to reach 13 under, and Colombian Camilo Villegas (66) was another stroke back with Dean Wilson (66).

Holmes, a rookie who won the 2005 PGA Tour qualifying tournament, had seven tee shots that traveled at least 338 yards on fairways hardened by a record 108 days without rain.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson shot 1-under 70 and was eight back at 8-under 205.

Fred S. Ridley, a Tampa attorney, has completed the second of his one-year terms as president of the game's ruling body in the United States and was replaced by Walter W. Driver Jr. of Atlanta. Ridley retired from the Executive Committee after 12 years of service, including four years as chairman of the Championship Committee (2000-03), the group responsible for the conduct of all USGA competitions including the U.S. Open.

[Last modified February 5, 2006, 01:23:11]