DUBAI, United Arab Emirates _ Ernie Els birdied the 18th hole of his delayed second round Saturday to move within one shot of Ross Fisher, a little-known Englishman who leads the Dubai Desert Classic.

Tiger Woods, the defending champion, finished Friday with a 67 to stand at 9-under.

Fisher was 14-under as the tournament moves into its third round. Fisher, Woods and Els were due to tee off on the Emirates Golf Club's front nine later Saturday.

Els, a three-time winner of the Desert Classic, climbed within a stroke of the lead Friday with an eagle on the 13th hole. But his round was interrupted twice Friday: once by a rare thunderstorm and then by darkness. Els returned early Saturday to play his last four holes.

"I didn't have good rhythm this morning, so I was happy to make no mistakes and just the one birdie," Els said before heading to breakfast after completing his round. "There's a lot of golf left out there and a lot of birdies still to play for."

As the tournament's second half got underway, Fisher and Els were leading Henrik Stenson at 12-under, with Peter Hanson, Graeme McDowell and Jyoti Randhawa tied at 10-under. Woods and playing partner Miguel Angel Jimenez were tied with 9 under.

The Desert Classic is just the second tournament in which Fisher has been the leader _ the first was the 2005 China Open.

"I'm hitting the ball probably as good as I've ever hit it," said Fisher, who shot an identical eight birdies and a bogey Friday and Saturday for 65 in each round. "It would be tough to have a third 65, but you know it's out there if you play well."

The 26-year-old Englishman described how he'd spent his early years in awe of Woods. He said the closest contact he had with the World No. 1 was when he fetched practice balls for Woods as a teenager working at the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth in England.

"I've never met him or spoke to him," Fisher said.

Now Fisher faces the possibility of playing alongside Woods on Sunday if they are the top two heading into the final round. On Saturday, Fisher was to play alongside Els and Stenson.

"It would be an absolute thrill to play with the best player in the world," Fisher said. "Obviously, all the pressure is going to be on him because he's expected to win."

Woods had five birdies and no bogeys Friday. On the 13th, Woods fell to his knees and bashed the ground with his club in frustration after a chip for an eagle dribbled a few inches from the hole. He settled for a birdie.

"I've got to go practice first of all and get organized and be ready for tomorrow," Woods said Friday. "It's just a matter of going out there and making a bunch of birdies."