DUBAI, Feb 2: Ernie Els knocked Tiger Woods off the top of the leader board early in the third round of the 2.5 million dollars Dubai Desert Classic on Saturday.

Woods started the day one shot ahead of Ireland’s Damien McGrane with defending champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden and Thomas Levet of France a further stroke back.

The World No 1 missed a five-footer for birdie at the first but then dropped a stroke after a poor drive at the second.

Woods made amends for that with a birdie-four at the third, but another wayward drive saw him suffer a second bogey at the sixth to fall to seven under.

Stenson moved briefly ahead of him thanks to three straight birdies at the start of his round, but he fell back to eight under after a bogey at the fifth.

Three-time former winner Ernie Els meanwhile made his move with two birdies on

the front nine and then a magnificent eagle at the 10th to move into the lead alongside Stenson.

The big South African kept the pressure up with another birdie at the next hole to take command.

Woods was looking for his fifth consecutive tournament win as he cranked up his preparations for the season’s first major at The Masters in early April.

Once again though he was bothered by amateur camera work from the big gallery following him, pulling up on the first green when he heard a clicking noise. He regrouped but missed the five-footer.

“I know there’s a policy with no cameras but that’s not really happening out here. You know people out here are going to have cameras, they are going to get you in your swing and unfortunately that’s just the way it goes.”—AFP