Tiger Woods leads Graeme McDowell by one heading into today's final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill – and that represented a far better outcome for the Northern Irishman than seemed likely late in the day.

Woods, trying for his first PGA Tour victory since September 2009, was four clear with five holes of his third round to go. But the six-time winner of the title, playing his last event before The Masters in a fortnight, then followed a bogey on the next with an out-of-bounds double bogey.

Woods appeared to blame noise from the crowd for a horrible hook that finished closer to someone's swimming pool than the fairway and the resultant double bogey six brought his lead over McDowell down to just one.

He was in another bunker off the tee at the long 16th, but found the green from there. Up ahead McDowell, after a run of 12 successive pars, made a six-footer for birdie to level, but it was only for a moment as Woods two-putted to regain outright top spot. Both were round in a one-under-par 71, putting Woods 11 under and McDowell 10 under – two ahead of Ian Poulter and Ernie Els.

Playing with Woods today will bring back great memories for McDowell. At the Chevron World Challenge two years ago – six months after his US Open victory at Pebble Beach – he came from four behind on the final day to beat the 14-Major winner in a play-off.

Els has to finish solo third at worst to have a chance of climbing into the world's top 50 in time for The Masters and from 15th place at halfway a 67 represented a great day's work for the South African.

Poulter, still recovering from pneumonia, shot a 68 which included an eagle on the fourth and birdies at the 15th and 16th just after he had bogeyed. His best stroke, though, was his recovery from a plugged lie in the bunker on the 17th. He almost holed it.

In Morocco, Damien McGrane holds a one-shot lead over 18-year-old Matteo Manassero and Jose Manuel Lara going into the final day of the Trophee Hassan II. McGrane and Lara both have eight holes of the third round to complete, while Manassero has three left after play was suspended due to darkness following a five-and-a-half hour delay on Friday.

The 40-year-old Irishman, whose only European Tour title came by nine shots in China four years ago, started the day three behind clubhouse leader Phillip Price but with 13 holes of his second round remaining.

On his return to the Golf du Palais Royal course McGrane birdied the seventh, ninth and 10th to pull level with former Ryder Cup hero Price, before two-putting the long 15th for birdie to take the outright lead.

He holed an important six-footer at the last to confirm his halfway advantage, then mixed four birdies with three bogeys over the first 10 holes of his third round to reach 12 under par.

"It was a nice way to finish, with a birdie, but it was a bit of a mixed bag," McGrane said. "But I can't complain too much – I am in the position you want to be going into the final day."

Manassero, needing a win to enter the top 50 and earn a Masters invite, was six under through 14 holes. Northern Irishman Michael Hoey is fourth after a 65, despite missing a six-foot par putt and bogeying the last.