Woods remains in lead in Dubai

Tiger Woods birdied the 18th hole to take a one-shot lead after a windy second round Friday at the Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates.

The blustery day caused problems for Woods from the start. The world’s No. 1 player, who had taken a two-shot lead with a seven-under-par 65 after the first round, bogeyed the first hole after driving the ball into the rough. He also had bogeys on the 12th and 15th.

Woods made four birdies -- including two in the last three holes -- for a one-under 71 and a halfway total of eight-under 136.

Damien McGrane shot a three-under 69 to pull to within one shot. Henrik Stenson shot a 70 and was two strokes behind Woods. He was tied for third with Thomas Levet, who had a 71.

Despite losing ground on the leaderboard, Woods said he was “pleased with anything in the red today.”

“It was not a pretty day out there,” he said.

Wind gusts up to about 30 mph shook up the bunkers and surrounding desert terrain -- sending sand flying in faces and creating a haze that masked many of the skyscrapers that tower over the Emirates Golf Club.

Woods said even though he wore his sunglasses, he was still “chewing sand all day.”

J.B. Holmes shot a six-under 65 to share the lead with Doug LaBelle II at nine-under 133 among players who finished the second round of the FBR Open at Scottsdale, Ariz. LaBelle shot a 64.

A 90-minute frost delay to start the day left 45 golfers on the course when play was halted because of darkness.

One of them, Camilo Villegas, was tied for the lead at nine under through 12 holes. Two were at eight under -- Bill Haas through 13 holes and Ben Crane through 14.

They will complete the round this morning before the cut is made, then the third round will begin.

Two-time champion Phil Mickelson three-putted from seven feet for a double bogey on the par-four, 464-yard ninth hole. He was at five under, four shots off the lead, through 14 holes.