Golf: SHIRTY TIGER IS COLLARED

TIGER Woods could be facing a clash with officialdom at next week's Dubai Desert Classic.

Woods struggled to an untidy two-over par 73 in the third round of the Nissan Open yesterday - and the World number one could have problems off the course as well.

Pending events in the Middle East, Woods will heading to the United Arab Emito face Ernie Els, the current World number two and defending Dubai champion, in a much-awaited desert showdown.

Woods and Els have been on a collision-course for a first stroke- play head-to-head contest of the New Year long before Els clinched last fortnight's Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth.

But Woods might have officials of the European Tour on his back if he elects to play in the collarless shirts he wore at the recent Buick Invitational.

Woods returned from a two-month break following knee surgery to win that event by four strokes.

But he also set Torrey Pines Country Club staff checking the club's official dress-code after turning up to compete on Saturday and Sunday wearing a mock turtleneck shirt.

Woods would not have seen signs saying "Collared shirts are required for men", but his dress sense drew plenty of comments.

David Duval wore a similar shirt a few years back and received plenty of grief despite the US PGA Tour granting permission for him to wear it.

Sergio Garcia debuted a shirt with even less of a collar at the 2001 Greg Norman Holden International and was told by a European Tour official never to wear it again in a Tour event.

European Tour guidelines deem collarless, sleeveless, and transparent shirts, as well as those hanging outside the trousers, unacceptable.

David Garland, the Tour's Tournament Director at the Malaysian Open, said: "It's difficult when I haven't seen the shirt in question - but it will be up to the Tournament Director to interpret if the shirt is acceptable under the guidelines."

Yesterday Woods hooked his drive out of bounds on the first hole, a 503-yard par 5, and had to settle for a disastrous double bogey, 7.

He explained: "I got stuck and I flipped the club over. I hit it in the parking lot. It was frustrating out there and I was relieved when the suffering was over."

While Tiger struggled Charles Howell shot a 3-under 68 to open a three-stroke lead over Nick Price going into the final round.

Howell, who won his first PGA Tour event last year, had one bogey in a round that included two birdies and an eagle. a frustrating few days after missing the cut. The Scot shot 75 and 71 in the first two rounds and then had to wait six hours before discovering that he hadn't made the final two rounds.

Montgomerie (right), said: "People don't realise that when you're abroad and you miss the cut it's a very long time before you can play again."

LEADERBOARD

202 Charles Howell III

(69 65 68)

205 Nick Price (68 67 70)

206 K.J. Choi (70 69 67)

207 Rich Beem (73 65 69)

Len Mattiace (69 67 71)

208 Bob Estes (69 71 68); Brandt Jobe (74 67 67); Steve Elkington (68 73 67); Angel Cabrera (75 68 65)

209 Fred Funk (65 74 70); Duffy Waldorf (70 69 70); Mike Weir (72 68 69); Stewart Cink (73 67 69); Cameron Beckman (68 73 68); Chad Campbell (70 73 66)

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