Golf:On a tightly-bunched leaderboard Tiger Woods lurks just one shot off the overnight pace as Rory McIlroy, despite a difficult day in the desert, still holds a share of the Dubai Desert Classic lead.

Windy conditions late in the day at the Emirates Golf Club was the dominant factor in the third round where many of the chief protagonists were blown off course. That they all struggled has ensured an enthralling prospect for tomorrow's final round as no less than 25 players are within four shots of the lead.

McIlroy, the overnight leader from the first and second rounds, battled for a three over 75 to drop back to eight under where he was joined for the lead by playing partner Thomas Aiken (74) from South Africa and Denmark's Anders Hansen (71).

"Conditions were very difficult today and I got off to a rough start but managed to steady the ship," explained McIlroy, who opened with three straight bogeys to come back to the field.

"I played the last 12 holes in one under and that was a good effort. You just have to keep patient, play smart golf and hopefully not make bogeys.

"In many ways it could have been like the second round at last year’s (British) Open (at St Andrews), but I learned a lot and didn't let that happen," added the 21-year-old, a wire-to-wire winner in Dubai in 2009.

"I'm still in there with a great chance. It's a very bunched up field and anyone can win tomorrow. But I have to remain positive as I'm still in a share of the lead."

Woods battled for a level par 72 after picking up yet another stroke at the par five 18th - to add to his opening day eagle and yesterday's birdie.

“I’m still in the ballgame. There are a bunch of guys there with a chance, and with the weather tomorrow you never know,” said Woods after a round containing four bogeys and as many birdies, a double-bogey at the ninth plus an eagle three at the par five 10th where he pitched in from the edge of the green.

Woods closed with a 65 to triumph in Dubai in 2008 but doesn’t expect that to give him any psychological edge tomorrow.

“It’s different conditions here (than in 2008), it’s way different now. If we get it like this tomorrow it will be a heck of a task, (but) it will be a lot of fun,” added the world number three who is searching for a first win in 15 months.

Woods was joined by no less than six others in a share of fourth on seven under and tucked in just one behind the leading trio.

Spain's Alvaro Velasco will be the most satisfied player after he took advantage of the calmer morning conditions to card by far the best of the day 65. The move catapulted the Spaniard up 54 places from just making the cut to being firmly in contention.

Sergio Garcia was another on seven under after a 75. His barren winless run extends back further than Woods to November 2008.

He could have led but for an untimely double-bogey at the 359-yard 17th where his drive was unfortunate to bounce into a bush and was forced to take a penalty drop.

“It was unfortunate, I thought I was doing pretty well in the conditions," said Garcia in reference to the 17th. "I didn’t play the back nine that badly, I was holding it nicely and I had a couple of chances to get to 10 (under).

"The good thing is that I’m still in it, I could have had a one-shot lead, but that’s the way it is,” added the world number 79 looking for a top two finish to secure a place at the WGC World Matchplay later this month.

Martin Kaymer’s quest to depose Lee Westwood as world number one looks almost certain to be unsuccessful this week. The German needs a top-two finish but a four-over-par 76 left him in a tie for 47th.

Westwood, who missed the cut in Qatar last week, fared much better and his level-par 72 left him five under and within striking distance.

“It was a really grinding day, especially this afternoon. We’d seen people go out this morning in probably the easier conditions and shoot some low scores," said Westwood.

“I thought I should have shot 70. I didn’t make a putt over about six feet so that was the main problem. But I played quite solidly, didn’t make too many mistakes and I might have a chance tomorrow.”

Michael Hoey managed a one over 73 and is still well-placed on six under. Dareen Clarke's 72 left him on two under, while Peter Lawrie (73) was one over and Damien McGrane (75) two over.

Collated third round scores and totals in the Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates GC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(Gbr and Irl unless stated, Irish in boldpar 72):

208 Rory McIlroy 65 68 75, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 67 67 74, Anders Hansen (Den) 69 68 71

209Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 68 69 72, Brett Rumford (Aus) 69 68 72, Tiger Woods (USA) 71 66 72, Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 74 70 65, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 67 67 75, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 69 71 69, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 73 68 68

210Stephen Gallacher 70 69 71, Michael Hoey 70 67 73

211Peter Hanson (Swe) 69 69 73, Hennie Otto (Rsa) 72 70 69, James Kingston (Rsa) 72 72 67, Scott Strange (Aus) 72 72 67, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 71 72 68, Pablo Martin (Spa) 68 72 71, Lee Westwood 69 70 72, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 72 70 69

212Floris De Vries (Ned) 71 70 71, Ross Fisher 73 69 70, Paul Waring 73 68 71, Danny Willett 68 71 73, Gregory Havret (Fra) 72 71 69

213Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 70 70 73, Richie Ramsay 71 69 73, Chris Wood 71 72 70, Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel) 73 71 69, Anthony Wall 69 70 74, Marc Warren 72 67 74, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 71 68 74, Bradley Dredge 70 72 71

214Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 73 69 72, David Drysdale 73 71 70, Jbe Kruger (Rsa) 71 72 71, Ben Curtis (USA) 71 71 72, Darren Clarke 70 72 72, David Lynn 74 69 71, Simon Dyson 72 72 70

215Robert Rock 73 71 71, Marcel Siem (Ger) 71 70 74, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 75 69 71, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 71 72 72, Tano Goya (Arg) 73 70 72, Mark Foster 75 67 73

216Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 72 70 74, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 69 71 76, Todd Hamilton (USA) 69 73 74, Victor Dubuisson (Fra) 68 71 77, Ross Bain 75 69 72

217Steve Webster 68 68 81, Rhys Davies 73 70 74, Tom Lewis 73 70 74, Peter Lawrie 74 70 73, Johan Edfors (Swe) 70 69 78, Simon Khan 73 71 73, Michael Jonzon (Swe) 71 70 76, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 68 72 77, Thomas Levet (Fra) 72 68 77

218 Damien McGrane 72 71 75, Mark F Haastrup (Den) 76 68 74, Jamie Donaldson 71 71 76, David Horsey 73 70 75, Mark Brown (Nzl) 69 70 79, Rikard Karlberg (Swe) 70 74 74

219Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 73 70 76

220Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 71 71 78, Richard Finch 72 72 76, Seve Benson 73 69 78

221Danny Lee (Nzl) 74 69 78