Els allows lead to slip away at bogey hole

Ernie Els, bidding for a fifth win in seven starts this year, finished with a bogey six for the second day running as Scotland's Alastair Forsyth and England's David Lynn refused to let the South African get away from them at the Dubai Desert Classic.

The three go into the final round tied for the lead on 203, 13 under par, after all recording third rounds of 69.

Three-putt bogeys at the 4th and 9th cancelled out birdies at the 3rd and 5th as Els, the defending champion, fell three strokes behind Forsyth on the front nine. But then the South African showed the ability that has taken him to two victories on both the US and European tours this season.

Els birdied the short 11th, then holed from 10 feet and seven feet at the 15th and 16th respectively before unleashing a massive drive downwind on the 359-yard 17th. The ball finished on the front of the green, from where Els two-putted to go into the lead on his own.

All that was left was the 547-yard, par-five 18th, where Els had gone in the lake in the second round and where German Tobias Dier had just taken 11 and England's Ian Poulter an eight. Els carried the water this time, but only just and the ball came to rest on top of the wall lining the hazard. His chip from there ran to the back of the green and another three putts followed.

Forsyth had a chance to take sole possession of the lead, but, after laying up, missed a nine-foot birdie putt. Lynn then birdied the hole to catch them as he searches for his first tour win after two runners-up finishes.

Sharing fourth place are 45-year-old Ian Woosnam, 19-year-old Korean Kevin Na and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, two shots behind.

Forsyth was the one to shine on the front nine, going out in a three-under 32 and establishing a three-stroke lead over Els and Lynn. An eagle at the 530-yard, par-five 3rd had set Forsyth on his way and after bogeying the difficult short 4th - as Els did - the 27-year-old from Paisley sank birdie putts from nine feet and five feet at, respectively, the 7th and 8th .

There were no moves from Irish Ryder Cup trio Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley. Harrington, who blamed poor early-season concentration for not figuring more on the first two days, had a 71 to lie two under, while McGinley four-putted from 15 feet on the 18th for a 77 leaving him two over par.

Both will be hoping for better in next week's Qatar Masters, but Forsyth today withdrew his name from the event, as have 39 others, with war against Iraq looking increasingly likely.

Clarke, also among the pull-outs, had a 72 yesterday to remain five under.

Bob Tway continued his assault on the famous Blue Monster course in the Ford championship at the Doral Golf Resort in Miami, Florida, taking a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the $5 million tournament.

Tway, who birdied three of his final five holes, recorded a four-under-par 68 to reach 11 under, while Jim Furyk, winner of this event in 2000, had a six-under-par 66 to grab sole possession of second place, just one stroke off the lead. Two strokes back, on 131, are first-round leader Rod Pampling, of Australia, and Carlos Franco, of Paraguay.

Tway, who last won on the PGA tour in 1995, has not led a tour event after two rounds since he was tied for the lead at last year's Open at Muirfield. The American has now recorded five consecutive rounds in the 60s and six rounds under par since missing the cut two weeks ago at the Nissan Open.

'Obviously after these two days I feel good,' Tway, 43, said. 'There are some good things happening. I am driving the ball long and if I can drive the ball in the fairway, I can play good. I am looking forward to the challenge [of trying to hold the lead].'