Off the wire

GOLF

Pair share 3-shot lead Defending champion Henrik Stenson and Spain’s Rafa Cabreraopened up a three-shot lead after the third round of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Dubai on Saturday. Stenson posted four birdies in a 4-under-par 68 to join Cabrera-Bello who birdied four of his closing five holes in a 7-under 65. Both players have an overall 14-under 202 on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. England’s Justin Rose shot a 68 for third place, one shot clear of topranked Rory McIlroy (70), Victor Dubuisson (67), Tyrrell Hatton (68) and Thorbjorn Olesen (69). McIlroy had back-to-back double bogeys at the 12th and 13th while Olesen was left counting the cost of an 18th-hole double bogey. If he wins, Stenson will finish the 2014 European Tour season as runner-up to McIlroy in the Race to Dubai.

Adam Scott moved in the right direction Saturday at the Australian Masters, shooting a 1-under-par 71 to pull to within four strokes of the lead as he attempts to win the Melbourne tournament for the third consecutive year. Scott got some help from gusty winds that affected the last few groups. He trailed by six when he finished, but an hour later, Paul Spargo, playing in the final group, was the leader after a 71 and a 54-hole total of 8-under 208. That was one stroke better than second-round leader Michael Wright, who bogeyed four holes on the back nine for a 74 and after he and fellow Australian Spargo were told they were on the clock for slow play. Three Australians were tied for third, two strokes behind — 18-yearold amateur Lucas Herbert, who had the round of the day with a 65; Nick Cullen (66) and James Nitties (67).

Suzy Whaley was elected the first female officer in PGA of America history Saturday, a move that virtually assures her of becoming the association’s first female president in 2018. The milestone moment came at the end of the PGA’s annual meeting in Indianapolis. Whaley received 52.63 percent of the vote, Russ Libby got 33.33 percent and Michael Haywood 14.04 percent in the secretary’s race. In 2016, Whaley will become vice president, then serve a two-year term as president and two more years as honorary president.

Tiger Woods has hired a swing consultant as he prepares to return to competition. Woods announced Saturday on Twitter that Dallas-based Chris Como, a specialist in biomechanics of the golf swing, will be working and consulting with him. Woods did not identify Como as his swing coach. Woods is to return Dec. 4-7 at his Hero World Challenge, an 18-man field of top 50 players at Isleworth. Not long after the tweet, Como’s website was unavailable because it exceeded its bandwidth. He works at Gleneagles Country Club outside Dallas and was listed among the best young teachers by Golf Digest magazine last year. The magazine said on its website that Como is completing a master’s degree in biomechanics at Texas Woman’s University. He is studying under Kwon Young-Hoo, an expert on how sports movements impact the body. Woods already has had three swing coaches and four swings during a career that has brought him 14 majors among his 79 PGA Tour titles. He most recently worked with Sean Foley, whom he dismissed in August after three years and no majors. Woods last won a major in 2008 at the U.S. Open. This is the first time in his career he failed to register a top-10 finish. Woods missed most of the year with back issues. He had surgery on his back a week before the Masters, forcing him to sit out three months to recover. He last played in the PGA Championship, where he missed the cut, and then said he would take more time off to get stronger.

MOTOR SPORTS

Rosberg takes Abu Dhabi pole

Nico Rosberg edged out title rival Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for the season-ending Abu Dhabi, where the two will fight for the Formula One. Hamilton was quicker than Rosberg in the first two qualifying sessions, but the German driver set the pace in Q3. Hamilton almost went off track as his brakes locked heading into the final corner. Like the F1 season itself, this weekend has been close between the Mercedes teammates, and Hamilton could not quite find enough speed on his last run. Hamilton leads Rosberg by 17 points overall with double points on offer in today’s race, meaning a victory is worth 50. Although Hamilton leads Rosberg 10-5 in race victories, Rosberg is up 11-7 in pole positions, including four of the past five races.