ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Tiger Woods talked all week about his improved ball control – then it let him down when he needed it most.

Woods resembled the Tiger of old over the first three rounds at the Abu Dhabi Championship, stringing together three rounds below par before shooting an even 72 in Sunday’s finale to finish in a tie for third place behind winner Robert Rock and U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy.

The 117th-ranked Rock shot 70 for an overall 275 to beat McIlroy (69) by a shot. Woods was a further shot back with Thomas Bjorn (68) and Graeme McDowell (68). The 18-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero (69) and George Coetzee (70) of South Africa were another shot back.

“Today I just didn’t give myself enough looks at it,” Woods said. “Most of my putts were lag putts. I didn’t drive the ball in as many fairways as I should have. ... It was a day I was just a touch off the tee and consequently I couldn’t get the ball close enough.”

It marked the second straight time Woods hasn’t won with at least a share of the lead after 54 holes. He failed to win the Chevron World Challenge in 2010 after going into the final round with a four-shot lead over McDowell.

Coming into Sunday, Woods was tied for the lead with the unheralded Rock and was the clear favorite to win. Rock had only one victory under his belt compared to 83 for Woods worldwide, but it was Rock who held it together down the stretch.

“It’s pretty hard to believe that I managed to win today. Very surprised,” the Englishman said. “I played good. So I guess I had a chance from early on, a couple of birdies made the day feel a little bit easier.

“But it’s difficult playing with Tiger. You expect almost every shot to threaten to go in. I felt a lot of pressure and couldn’t afford any lapses in concentration at all.”

PGA: In San Diego, Brandt Snedeker won the Farmers Insurance Open in a playoff no one imagined possible until Kyle Stanley hit a wedge into the water and made triple bogey on the last hole.

Both players made birdie on the 18th in the playoff, then Snedeker won on the second extra hole with a 5-foot par putt. Stanley’s putt from about the same length caught the right side of the lip.

It was a devastating loss for Stanley, who led by seven shots in the round, and was four shots ahead as he stood on the 17th green.

Snedeker won his third PGA Tour title. He closed with a 5-under 67 to match Stanley (72) at 16 under at Torrey Pines.

John Rollins shot a 71 to finish third, two strokes back.