By Kent Gray
It’s not easy being a Tiger Woods fan in the Middle East, what with work to get up for the next morning while the rest of the world gets to sleep in on Sunday.

So just in case you missed the Big Cat’s third round 67 at the Valspar Championship in Florida overnight, here’s the highlights to back up the hype courtesy of the PGA Tour:

How about the galleries. The piped drives. The control with his irons. And perhaps most importantly, the silky short game saves. Yup, we’re all aboard the Tiger hype train.

Unless you’ve been hiding on Mars, you’ll be aware Woods is one back of unheralded Canadian rookie Corey Conners (who failed to advance through Monday qualifying but got into the field as the third alternate anyway) heading into the final round on the Cooperhead Course at Innisbrook. With Justin Rose and Brandt Snederker tied in second place at -8, Woods won’t do this easy.

But with an 80th PGA Tour win now a legitimate chance after four back surgeries and a load more off-course challenges, Sunday is going to slip into the wee hours of Monday for most UAE golf fans and no one will mind staying up late, or is that early. For the record, TV Coverage in the UAE begins at 9pm on OSN Sports 3 HD with Tiger off in the penultimate group with Snederker at 1.50pm Florida time (9.50pm UAE time). 

“I am excited,” Woods said. “I feel good.”

You are not the only one, Tiger, you are not the only one. Now, where’s the popcorn?