Woods closes to within 1 of lead

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Canadian rookie Corey Conners kept the lead in the Valspar Championship and had a clear view of what he faces in the final round.

Tiger Woods was right in front of him, and Conners could hear the roars all afternoon.

Conners shot a 3-under 68 on Saturday for a oneshot lead over Woods, Brandt Snedeker and Justin Rose as he goes after his first PGA Tour victory before a crowd rarely seen this side of a major.

Woods tied for the lead with a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 10, only to miss a pair of birdie putts inside 8 feet. He shot a 67.

Rose had a 66 and will be in the final group with Conners. Woods plays right in front of them with Snedeker, who also had a 67.

INDIAN OPEN: Home favorite Shubhankar Sharma shared the lead with Matt Wallace after the third round in New Delhi.

Sharma, who four days ago received a special invitation to play in the Masters at Augusta, shot levelpar 72 with five birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey. He and Wallace, who also had a mixed round with four birdies and four bogeys in a 70, are on 7under 209 overall. The Englishman eagled the par-4 No. 9.

Stephen Gallacher of Scotland had the best round of the day — a 67 — to rise 22 places to third, one stroke behind.

Emiliano Grillo had a four-stroke overnight lead but the Argentine shot a 78 and is tied for fourth with Matthias Schwab (68) and Andrew Johnston (73).

Sharma held the 54-hole lead in his first World Golf Championship appearance last week, in Mexico. He finished tied for ninth after a closing 74. He was at No. 462 in the world three months ago when he shot 61 in the second round and won the Joburg Open.

He closed with a 62 last month to win the Malaysian Open, making him the only two-time winner on the European Tour this season.

Mike Carlson / Associated Press Tiger Woods hits from the bunker on the first hole during the third round of the Valspar Championship Saturday in Palm Harbor, Fla.