Rory McIlroy put himself in place to safe a attainable end-of-season double after sharing the third-round lead with Rasmus Højgaard and Antoine Rozner on the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
The world no.3 is all however assured seal a sixth Race to Dubai crown of his profession tomorrow and can be chasing a 3rd title on the Earth course.
The Northern Irishman started the day one shot behind in a single day chief Rozner, but it surely was Højgaard who surged clear on the high after 4 straight birdies from the second.
The Dane climbed to 12 below to maneuver three clear on the eighth, nevertheless, McIlroy carded 4 birdies in a six-hole stretch from the seventh to sit down alongside Højgaard on the summit.
Each gamers missed probabilities to nudge in entrance and couldn’t be separated as they parred their manner house, with Rozner carding an eagle on the final to make it a three-way tie on the high forward of the ultimate spherical of the 2024 DP World Tour marketing campaign.
Victory for Rozner might additionally see the Frenchman climb as excessive as second on the Race to Dubai and safe twin membership with the PGA TOUR for 2025.
Joaquin Niemann combined 5 birdies and two bogeys and Swede Jesper Svensson was flawless in his 68 to sit down in fourth at ten below, whereas Tyrrell Hatton is one shot additional again in sixth.
Disappointing end
McIlroy stated: “After the birdie on 12, I had a great probability to push on. I hit a extremely good shot into 13 and simply caught the sting. After which 14 and 15 are birdie holes, and never with the ability to birdie both of these, and solely with a six-iron in my hand going into the final inexperienced and never making birdie there was not what I hoped for.
“I’m dissatisfied with how I performed these final 5 holes, however I’m nonetheless clearly in a extremely good place heading into tomorrow.
“It’s an incredible alternative to finish the 12 months on a extremely excessive observe. I’ll go on the market tomorrow and provides it all the pieces I can and hopefully issues fall my manner and I’m capable of stand on that 18th inexperienced with each trophies.
“I’ve been capable of do it twice earlier than. So to do it once more could be nice.”