GOLF: Tiger seeks to end drought

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Tiger Woods is bidding to end his drought in the desert.

The former world No. 1 is one shot off the lead going into Sunday's final round of the Dubai Desert Classic, rallying from a disastrous start with an eagle and three birdies on the back nine for a par 72 in windy conditions Saturday.

Woods finished the third round at 7-under 209, in a seven-way tie for fourth behind co-leaders Rory McIlroy (75), Anders Hansen (71) and Thomas Aiken (74).

Woods showed some of the resilience that recently has been lacking from his game on a dusty day in the desert during which the wind reached 28 mph.

After a double bogey at No. 9 left Woods at 4-over 39, he started his surge with an eagle on the par-5 10th and followed with a birdie on No. 11. He closed with birdies on Nos. 15 and 18 sandwiched around a bogey on 16.

Woods' last victory came at the Australian Masters in November 2009. He is now No. 3 in the rankings behind Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer.

The top-ranked Westwood was tied for 13th at 5 under, while Kaymer was eight shots off the lead after a 76.

PGA Tour

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Thousands of fans came to Pebble Beach for sunshine, scenery and celebrity entertainment. The leaders were somewhere else Saturday in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Far away from the commotion, Steve Marino struggled with the speed of the greens on the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula and ended his round with a three-putt bogey from 4 feet for a 1-over 71.

That still was enough for him to take a one-shot lead going into the final round over Jimmy Walker, who had a 63 at Monterey Peninsula, and Bryce Molder, who counted about a dozen people in his gallery at Spyglass Hill on his way to a 68.

Next up is the final round at Pebble Beach, where some measure of normalcy returns to his PGA Tour.

But not entirely.

D.A. Points was among the few players atop the leaderboard who was at Pebble Beach in the third round, and he was getting plenty of attention - or maybe that was for his amateur partner, Bill Murray, decked out in an Elmer Fudd hat.

Points took a double bogey by going over the cliffs on the ninth hole, birdied the 16th and 17th and was poised to take a share of the lead until he couldn't get out of a fairway bunker on the 18th and wound up with a bogey.

That gave him a 71, putting him two shots out of the lead.

His pro-am team is only one shot behind, meaning Murray gets another crack at Pebble on Sunday.

Champions Tour

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Peter Senior shot a 67 to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Allianz Championship.

Senior was at 11-under 133 after a blustery day in South Florida.

He trailed Rod Spittle for most of the round, but birdied the par-5 18th to grab the lead. Spittle bogeyed the 18th to finish with a 67 and a score of 10 under. Tom Lehman was tied for second after shooting a 69.

Hale Irwin (68) was tied with Russ Cochran (67) for fourth place at 8 under through two rounds.

Jay Don Blake, Friday's leader at 8 under, shot a 1-over 73 and was tied for seventh.