Tiger, Rock share lead in Abu Dhabi

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01/28/2012 - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tiger Woods and Robert Rock posted matching rounds of six-under 66 Saturday to move atop the leaderboard after three rounds of the Abu Dhabi Championship.

The duo ended 54 holes at 11-under-par 205. They share a two-stroke lead over four players.

Woods, who is playing this event for the first time, posted his best round since round two of last year's Masters, where he also shot 66.

Rock, who has a pair of top-15 finishes already this season on the European Tour, is aiming for his second tour title. He won the Italian Open last year.

Peter Hanson, who shared second at this event in 2007, had the low round of the week as he fired an eight-under 64 to jump into a share of third at minus- nine. He was joined there by former British Open champion Paul Lawrie (68), Francesco Molinari (66) and reigning U.S. Open champ Rory McIlroy (68).

Second-round leader Thorbjorn Olesen managed a one-under 71 and dipped into a four-way tie for seventh at eight-under-par 208 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Woods and Rock broke through a large pack of players to share the lead. At one point in the third round, there were eight players tied atop the leaderboard. At another juncture, there were five leaders.

However, it was Woods, who had a bogey-free round, and Rock, who birdied the final two holes, that broke through the crowded leaderboard.

Woods drained a 10-footer for birdie at the first. After five straight pars, he sank a six-footer for birdie on the par-three seventh to again get within one of the lead.

Around the turn, Woods made his charge. He two-putted for birdie on the par- five 10th to grab a piece of the lead at minus-eight.

Woods drained a seven-foot birdie try on the 12th to join Lawrie at nine- under, then poured in a 25-footer for birdie at 14 to take the lead by himself for the first time.

After two-putting for par on the next three holes, Woods found the green with his second to the par-five 18th. He lagged his eagle putt within three feet and knocked that in a for a closing birdie.

"I was just kind of consistent. I didn't do a whole lot wrong, I didn't do a whole lot right," Woods stated. "Six birdies piled up, but I was methodically going about my business and grinding. This course is playing difficult enough. You can make birdies, but you can go the wrong way quickly. I've still got to post a good number."

Woods hasn't won on the European Tour since he claimed the 2009 JBWere Masters, his last official win anywhere since the turmoil of his car accident and divorce that started shortly after that victory.

Rock, who was one group behind Woods, also had a pair of birdies on the front nine, with his coming on the third and seventh.

The Englishman birdied the 10th and 12th to move into a share of the lead at minus-nine. He converted a birdie chance on No. 14 to match Woods at 10-under.

However, Rock stumbled to a bogey on the par-four 16th, a hole that he also bogeyed in the first round. He fought back with birdies on the final two holes, both from inside eight feet, to join Woods atop the leaderboard.

"I've played some pretty good golf the last few days, so I'm more than happy," Rock said. "I holed a lot (of putts), and I nearly holed two long ones at the end. I just kept trying to hit them all the same, and that worked alright."

Olesen was joined in seventh place by James Kingston (67), George Coetzee (65) and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (69).

NOTES: Woods, who has 37 European Tour titles, hasn't won in the Persian Gulf region since claiming the 2008 Dubai Desert Classic...Fifty-nine of the 69 players that made the cut shot par or better on Saturday.

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After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
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