Hansen edges ahead

Anders Hansen edged into a one-stroke lead at the start of the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic as England’s Paul Casey made a concerted move further back.

Hansen and Tiger Woods, both one shot clear of Retief Goosen overnight, recorded pars at the first hole and the chasing pack followed suit.

But the Dane, looking for his first win since 2002, birdied the second to go clear at 17 under, and Goosen did likewise to move level with Woods.

Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a birdie at the second hole to move to 15 under and two strokes off the lead.

Three-time Dubai winner and defending champion Ernie Els was tied at 14 under with 1997 champion Richard Green after the pair parred the first two holes.

Ryder Cup hopeful Casey had been quiet on Saturday, his 71 not what he was looking for in his bid to challenge Woods and company.

But he started his final round with a burst of birdies – after parring the first, he then shot three back to back to move to 12 under and onto the coat-tails of the leaders.

Casey’s countryman Nick Dougherty, whose round of 70 on Saturday was an erratic affair, recorded three pars to stay at his overnight score of 13 under.

Pre-tournament talk had been of Europe’s most in-form player, Henrik Stenson, coming up against the world’s best in Woods.

The Swede had gone out in the final group in his last two tournaments, winning the Commercialbank Qatar Masters a week ago.

This time he was an earlier starter and fired off two pars in his opening two holes, but needing birdies to close the gap to the lead bunch, one duly followed at the third hole to move him to 12 under par.

Wind had been a factor on Saturday and it continued to blow around the Emirates Golf Club on what promised to be a nervy last day.