Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. ? A scrambling par on the final hole allowed Lee Westwood to keep the one-shot lead that he started with Saturday at The Players Championship. Only now he has a lot more company.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson suddenly is back in the picture, along with that No. 1 ranking.

Tiger Woods is not.

Westwood, who fell two shots behind with six holes left in the third round, avoided the kind of mistakes on the back nine that slowed Heath Slocum and finished with a 2-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over Robert Allenby going into the final round on the always unpredictable TPC Sawgrass.

Allenby was five shots behind when he walked off the 13th tee. He answered with a 6-iron to just outside 12 feet on the par-5 16th for eagle, then a 12-foot birdie on the island-green 17th that curled into the side of the cup. He shot a 67 and will play in the final group.

Westwood was at 14-under 202.

“The golf course changed a lot. It got really firm this afternoon,” Westwood said. “I thought I played well — gave myself a lot of chances, missed a couple, but all in all, I was pleased with the way I played. I didn’t make too many poor shots out there.”

He certainly didn’t on the 18th after his drive landed in a drain grate. He took a free drop, saw a gap in the trees and hit a 6-iron onto the green to give himself another shot at winning.

A month ago, Westwood had a one-shot lead over Mickelson going into the last round of the Masters.

Lefty began the day nine shots out of the lead, same as Woods.

They went opposite directions, however. Mickelson didn’t make a bogey until the final hole for a 66 to put himself back into the picture, just five shots behind Westwood. The 10 players ahead of him have a combined 14 victories on the PGA Tour.

“I feel like things started to click a little bit today, and I think I’ve got one more low round in me,” Mickelson said. “I just hope that it will be enough, that I’ll be within striking distance.”

To reach No. 1 for the first time in his career, Mickelson has to win and have Woods finish out of the top five. Woods did his part with a bogey-bogey finish for a 71 that put him 10 shots behind in a tie for 45th.

COLLEGES

Big 12, Pac-10 talking

As a possible Big Ten Conference expansion sends shockwaves throughout college sports, the Big 12 and Pacific 10 conferences are continuing talks that could lead to a collaboration of media rights and expanded scheduling partnerships.

Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott confirmed that he met with Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe and Pac-10 athletic directors during last week’s Pac-10 meetings in Phoenix, continuing discussions that began between him and Beebe last September.

The Dallas Morning News reported the latest discussions Friday.

The Pac-10 and Big 12 both have television contracts that are up for renegotiation at the start of 2011. Scott, former chief executive officer of the Women’s Tennis Association, has made broadcast and media negotiations a top priority since succeeding Tom Hansen last July.

“This will progress at a very brisk pace,” Scott said in a telephone interview, adding that the discussion ultimately might result in no alliance.

The Big 12 and Pac-10 already have a basketball series in place. Scott said he could envision it expanding to nonconference football as well.

AUTO RACING

Hamlin sweeps Darlington

Darlington, S.C. — Denny Hamlin completed a weekend sweep at Darlington Raceway on Saturday night with his first career Sprint Cup Series victory at NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway.

Hamlin’s third victory this season makes him the first driver since Mark Martin in 1993 to sweep Darlington’s two events. Hamlin held off teammate Kyle Busch to win Friday night’s Nationwide Series race.

On Saturday night, Hamlin benefited from errors by Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton to cruise to the Cup victory.

Jamie McMurray started from the pole and finished second, while Kurt Busch was third. Gordon came back from a late-race error to finish fourth. Juan Pablo Montoya rounded out the top five.

Webber nets Spanish pole

Barcelona, Spain — Mark Webber claimed his second pole position of the Formula One season on Saturday, leading a Red Bull 1-2 finish at the Spanish Grand Prix. Webber secured Red Bull’s fifth straight start from first place on the grid with a lap time of 1 minute, 19.995 seconds at the Circuit de Catalunya.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Knight speaks to graduates

Angola, Ind. — Former Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight told Trine University graduates Saturday the key to success is being prepared for life’s challenges.

Knight said during his 35-minute commencement address at the small private university in northeast Indiana that the will to prepare to win is more important than the will to win because people who prepare win more often than those who don’t.

Florida’s Tyus staying

Gainesville, Fla. — Florida coach Billy Donovan will have his NCAA Tournament starters back next season. Forward Alex Tyus announced Saturday that he has removed his name from the NBA Draft and will return for his senior season. His decision means the Gators will return all five starters for the first time in four years.

UK players departing

Lexington, Ky. — Kentucky’s freshman exodus is complete. Guard Eric Bledsoe and center Daniel Orton said Saturday they’re going to remain in the NBA Draft rather than return for their sophomores seasons.

They will join classmates John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins in the draft. Junior forward Patrick Patterson also is leaving school early to head to the NBA, leaving coach John Calipari with some major holes to fill heading into next season.

TENNIS

Federer falls in semifinals

Oeiras, Portugal — Roger Federer faltered in his tuneup for the French Open, losing to defending champion Albert Montanes of Spain, 6-2, 7-6 (5), on Saturday in the Estoril Open semifinals.

Montanes, seeded fourth, will play for the title today against Frederico Gil, who became the first Portuguese to reach the final after he upset fifth-seeded Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.

Unseeded Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia captured the women’s final, downing Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain, 6-2, 7-5.