Els Leads Walker

Ernie Els is trying to remain No. 1 in the $1.3 Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket, Thailand.

Els retained a one-stroke lead over Nick Faldo after the tournament’s third round, despite shooting an erratic 2-over-par 74 for a 10-under 206 total.

Tiger Woods, who could lose his top ranking in the world to Australia’s Greg Norman if he doesn’t finish in the top 25, was tied for 18th at 214 after carding a 71. “It doesn’t mean much,” Woods said. “The only thing I care about are four tournaments a year.”

Jesper Parnevik, runner-up in last year’s Phoenix Open, and Scott Verplank shot 5-under-par 66s to move from three shots back to share a two-shot lead in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The smiling Swede and Verplank, who won the PGA Tour’s qualifying school tournament in November to regain his playing privileges, took 54-hole totals of 11-under 202 into today’s final round.

Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson twice rallied from two strokes behind, shooting a 5-under-par 67 to take the lead after three rounds of the LPGA’s $600,000 Office Depot golf tournament in West Palm Beach, Fla.

At 206, Alfredsson was two strokes ahead of halfway leader Wendy Ward. Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum, Idaho, is six strokes back at 212.

In the Senior Skins Game in Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Raymond Floyd, seeking his fifth consecutive victory at the Mauna Lani South Course, won five skins. He collected $100,000 of the day’s $210,000 with a birdie at the 403-yard fifth hole.

Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus failed to earn any money in the made-for-TV event.