Tiger Woods is ideally placed to put
down a huge marker for the season after charging into a share of the
lead with a day to go at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Having ended 2011 with his first victory for over two years, Woods has a great chance to start 2012 with another.
They are two in front of four Ryder
Cup players - Scot Paul Lawrie, Swede Peter Hanson, Italian Francesco
Molinari and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy, the 22-year-old US Open champion, would of course be sharing top spot if he had not incurred his two-stroke penalty for brushing sand away off the ninth green in his second round, but a 68 kept him firmly in the hunt.
Woods joked that 'it will be nice to get rid of him' after playing with McIlroy three days in a row - and also for nine holes of practice.
Delighted though he was with his position, the former world No 1 was not inclined to scream 'I'm back' afterwards.
Instead Woods told Sky Sports: 'I was just kind of consistent. I didn't do a whole lot wrong, I didn't do a whole lot right.
'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.'
There were an amazing 24 changes at the top of the leader-board during the day and at one point eight players were locked together.
Woods made himself the man to catch, however, when he followed his front nine of 34 with further birdies on the 10th, 12th and 14th.
Another came when he found the green in two and two-putted the 567-yard last, but Rock fired in an approach to five feet on the 17th and closed with an eight-footer.
Having ended 2011 with his first victory for over two years, Woods has a great chance to start 2012 with another.
Main man: Tiger Woods shares the lead going into
the final day
Thanks to a superb bogey-free display,
the
14-major winner is on 11 under par and tied with England's Robert Rock,
who ensured it was not all about the American when he birdied the final
two holes for a matching 66.
McIlroy, the 22-year-old US Open champion, would of course be sharing top spot if he had not incurred his two-stroke penalty for brushing sand away off the ninth green in his second round, but a 68 kept him firmly in the hunt.
Woods joked that 'it will be nice to get rid of him' after playing with McIlroy three days in a row - and also for nine holes of practice.
Delighted though he was with his position, the former world No 1 was not inclined to scream 'I'm back' afterwards.
Instead Woods told Sky Sports: 'I was just kind of consistent. I didn't do a whole lot wrong, I didn't do a whole lot right.
In contention: Rory McIroy (left) remains in the
hunt in Abu Dhabi
'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.'
There were an amazing 24 changes at the top of the leader-board during the day and at one point eight players were locked together.
Woods made himself the man to catch, however, when he followed his front nine of 34 with further birdies on the 10th, 12th and 14th.
Another came when he found the green in two and two-putted the 567-yard last, but Rock fired in an approach to five feet on the 17th and closed with an eight-footer.
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