Rory McIlroy moved an enormous step nearer to a double Dubai success after taking a share of the lead into the ultimate spherical of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
McIlroy blended six birdies with two bogeys throughout a four-under 68 on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, shifting to 12-under alongside Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard and in a single day chief Antoine Rozner.
Hojgaard made six birdies in a seven-hole stretch on his strategy to a bogey-free 66 and Rozner carded a final-hole eagle to make it a three-way tie on the high, with Joaquin Niemann two again in tied-fourth alongside Sweden’s Jesper Svensson.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Rasmus Hojgaard makes an eventful par on the par-five final to retain a share of the lead heading into the ultimate day in Dubai
McIlroy is on the verge of securing the Race to Dubai title and matching Seve Ballesteros’ tally of six Order of Advantage wins, requiring solely a top-11 end even when Thriston Lawrence – eight again – wins, with the world No 3 now additionally in prime place to win the DP World Tour Championship for a 3rd time.
Three locked for Dubai lead in season finale
Rozner – holding a one-shot midway lead – produced a sensational up and down from the again of the primary inexperienced to briefly keep forward of McIlroy, who missed an eight-foot birdie probability earlier than pulling degree by two-putting from 40 toes on the par-five second.
Picture:
Antoine Rozner carded an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys throughout his third spherical in Dubai
Hojgaard – who began the weekend three again – charged into competition by firing 4 consecutive birdies from the second, all from inside 5 toes, which gave him a two-shot lead when Rozner three-putted the par-three fourth, and McIlroy additionally made bogey after discovering sand off the tee.
Rozner and McIlroy each responded by changing 10-foot birdies on the fifth to get to 9 below, just for Hojgaard to leap three clear when he took benefit of the par-five seventh and rolled in from 25 toes on the subsequent for a sixth birdie in seven holes.
This content material is offered by Twitter, which can be utilizing cookies and different applied sciences.
To indicate you this content material, we want your permission to make use of cookies.
You should utilize the buttons beneath to amend your preferences to allow Twitter cookies or to permit these cookies simply as soon as.
You possibly can change your settings at any time by way of the Privateness Choices.
Sadly we’ve got been unable to confirm you probably have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content material you need to use the button beneath to permit Twitter cookies for this session solely.
Allow Cookies
Permit Cookies As soon as
McIlroy got here agonisingly near an eagle on the seventh and added a fourth birdie of his entrance 9 after an excellent wedge into the par-four ninth, leaving him one behind Hojgaard on the flip, with Rozner an additional stroke again after matching the birdie.
A poor chip throughout the inexperienced from McIlroy on the par-four tenth noticed him open his again 9 with a bogey, however he matched Rozner’s birdie on the eleventh and added one other from 20 toes on the par-four twelfth to maneuver alongside Hojgaard.
Hojgaard didn’t match his front-nine scoring as he went on a run of pars, with McIlroy additionally unable to choose up a shot on the par-five 14th and Rozner falling two behind regardless of reaching the tough simply wanting the inexperienced in two.
McIlroy scrambled a par on the sixteenth to remain tied with Hojgaard, who holed from the perimeter to save lots of par on the seventeenth, earlier than recovering from discovering water off the 18th tee to make a 20-foot putt and shut out a bogey-free spherical in exceptional trend.
This content material is offered by Twitter, which can be utilizing cookies and different applied sciences.
To indicate you this content material, we want your permission to make use of cookies.
You should utilize the buttons beneath to amend your preferences to allow Twitter cookies or to permit these cookies simply as soon as.
You possibly can change your settings at any time by way of the Privateness Choices.
Sadly we’ve got been unable to confirm you probably have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content material you need to use the button beneath to permit Twitter cookies for this session solely.
Allow Cookies
Permit Cookies As soon as
Additional final-hole drama was produced by the ultimate group, as McIlroy’s birdie putt for the solo lead lipped out of the outlet and Rozner transformed an eight-foot eagle after an excellent method to affix the leaders on 12 below.
Svensson boosted his hopes of securing one of many 10 PGA Tour playing cards on supply with a bogey-free 68, with Niemann additionally sharing fourth after a third-round 69, whereas Tyrrell Hatton – three again – was criticised for snapping his membership in anger on the par-five 14th throughout a one-under 71.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Tyrrell Hatton snaps his membership in frustration after a disappointing shot into the inexperienced throughout his third spherical on the DP World Tour Championship.
McIlroy: I would like two trophies as a substitute of 1!
Rory McIlroy: “As I stated in the beginning of the week, my purpose tomorrow is to be on that 18th inexperienced with two trophies as a substitute of 1. I used to be with one of many Hojgaard brothers on the 18th final 12 months and hopefully I am not with the opposite one tomorrow!
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Rory McIlroy displays on a stable spherical of 68 which leaves him in a tie for the lead with one spherical left to play on the DP World Tour Championship.
“If I was to do it tomorrow, I’d walk away from this year with four worldwide wins, which is still pretty good. I’m excited about tomorrow. It’s an opportunity to to end the year on a really good note. I’m going to go out there and try to get it done.”
Get the very best costs and ebook a spherical at considered one of 1,700 programs throughout the UK & Eire
Rasmus Hojgaard: “I obviously hit it very close on the front nine, which was a massive confidence boost. I was just trying to ride the wave, see how many birdies I could make and then obviously it got a little bit more quiet on the back nine.
“I’ll method tomorrow like I did right this moment, strive to not fear an excessive amount of about what’s forward of me, attempt to play one gap at a time and get the very best rating attainable.”
Antoine Rozner: “I feel the eagle on final helped me large time. I am proud of my day general. I did not produce my greatest golf of the week thus far however I used to be all the time hanging in there. I managed to gap a pair putts on the again 9 that have been large for me.”
Who will win the DP World Tour Championship? Watch the ultimate spherical stay on Sunday from 6.30am on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stream the DP World Tour and extra with NOW.
