Rory McIlroy remains on course to complete the ‘Dubai double’ of DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai glory after taking a share of the lead into the final round of the season.
McIlroy struggled on the greens before birdieing three of his last five holes to post a four-under 68 at Jumeirah Golf Estates, lifting the Northern Irishman to 13 under alongside Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
The world No 2 is defending champion and looking to win the DP World Tour’s season finale for a fourth time, with McIlroy also closing on securing the Race to Dubai title for a seventh time and fourth successive year.
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McIlroy three-putted for par at the par-five second, having missed a close-range putt for a birdie-birdie start
Tyrrell Hatton remains the only player likely able to overtake him in the season-long standings, requiring a victory and McIlroy to finish outside of the top eight, with the Englishman still in the title hunt after a third-round 67 lifted him into a share of third.
Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Rasmus Hojgaard are also within one of the lead, along with Laurie Canter and Angel Ayora, with a congested leaderboard seeing 16 players separated by three shots heading into an intriguing final day.
McIlroy shares lead after eventful day in Dubai
Nicolai Hojgaard saw his three-shot halfway advantage disappear when he bogeyed the first and found water off the tee at the par-three sixth, leading to a double-bogey, as a host of players exchanged top spot during an eventful third round.
England’s John Parry grabbed a share of the lead after an eagle and three birdies in his first seven holes, while Canter moved into the solo advantage following successive gains from the sixth took him to 12 under, with Rasmus Hojgaard also in contention despite starting the day seven back.
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English golfer Matt Fitzpatrick holes out from the fifth fairway – from over 130 yards – to find an eagle during his third round
Hojgaard made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the 12th on his way to setting the clubhouse target with a bogey-free 65, with Fitzpatrick, Alex Noren and Ayora also getting to the top of an increasingly bunched leaderboard.
Ayora birdied the 16th to edge ahead but briefly made it an eight-way tie when he bogeyed the par-five last, with Neergaard-Petersen – who bogeyed his opening hole of the day – the next to get to 13 under when he made three birdies in five holes on his back nine.
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Alex Noren very confidently walked the ball into the hole for a birdie on the par-five 14th
Neergaard-Petersen closed out his round with successive pars to grab the first 54-hole co-lead of his DP World Tour career, while McIlroy left it late to move alongside the Dane and challenge for a fifth worldwide victory of the season.
McIlroy – starting three back – birdied the first but three-putted the next for par after missing from inside three feet, with the 36-year-old squandering another good birdie chance at the next and then bogeying the par-three fourth for the second time this week.
McIlroy played alongside Daniel Hillier, who posted a level-par 72 to remain on nine under
He made a two-putt birdie at the par-five seventh but didn’t add to his tally until back-to-back gains from the 14th, with McIlroy then rolling in from eight feet – his longest putt of the day – to pick up a shot at the par-five last and get to 13 under.
Overnight leader Hojgaard is two back alongside Justin Rose and Ludvig Åberg, with Shane Lowry and Robert MacIntyre three strokes behind in tied-10th, while Marco Penge – the closest player to McIlroy in the Race to Dubai standings – is tied-36th despite a four-under 68.
McIlroy battles back after early three-putt
Rory McIlroy (13 under, tied-first): “After that [three-putt par at the second], I sort of let that affect me a little bit, especially on the greens for the next few holes. But I stayed really patient, gave myself plenty of opportunities.
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McIlroy reflects on his third round at the DP World Tour Championship and his hopes of closing out Race to Dubai victory
“Didn’t hole that much, but I knew there was a few chances coming in. It was nice to take advantage of those. So overall, a bit of a battling day. The conditions were tricky enough, but happy to shoot the score that I did.
“I’m in a better position than [Hatton]. I’m focused on myself. If I go out and play the golf that I know I’m capable of, especially around this golf course, I know that it will be okay.”
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As McIlroy closes in on a seventh Race to Dubai success, Europe’s Ryder Cup stars explain what the Grand Slam champion means to the sport
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (13 under, tied-first): “Super pleased. I managed to stay really patient after obviously not getting off to the best of starts, but from there I feel like I hit a lot of good shots and gave myself a lot of chances,
“I can’t wait for tomorrow. I haven’t played with him [McIlroy] yet as a professional or ever, and to do it here in the final group on a Sunday is doing to be pretty special.”
Who will win the Race to Dubai? Watch the final round of the DP World Tour Championship live on Sunday from 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the DP World Tour and more with no contract.
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