Tyrrell Hatton pulled clear of Rory McIlroy at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after the third round, opening a four-shot gap over the Northern Irishman as the season neared its conclusion. Hatton carded a four-under-par 68 on Saturday to reach nine under for the tournament, while McIlroy slipped back with a two-over 72 on the Earth Course.
McIlroy, who had shared the lead with Hatton going into the day, struggled to maintain momentum after an early eagle at the par-five seventh. He then bogeyed three consecutive holes from the eighth to the tenth and dropped another shot at the 15th. Although he finished with a birdie on the 18th, narrowly missing a six-foot eagle putt, his round left him four shots behind the Englishman.
Hatton’s round was steadier, despite a scare on the final hole where his drive found water and his approach landed in a greenside bunker. He managed to scramble a par and keep his position at the top, holding a one-shot lead over France’s Victor Perez, who posted a 67. Sweden’s Mikael Lindberg, on six under, moved into third place.
McIlroy sits in a four-way tie for fourth alongside Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, who is currently leading the Race to Dubai standings. The six-time major winner began the tournament trailing Chacarra by over 500 points, aware that a victory would guarantee him an eighth season-long Race to Dubai title, matching the record set by Colin Montgomerie. McIlroy will secure the title if he finishes ahead of Chacarra and places in the top four.
Chacarra shot a 68 on Saturday with a round full of highs and lows, including nine birdies, three bogeys, and a double bogey. He remains four shots off Hatton’s lead. McIlroy will tee off alongside Englishman Dan Bradbury, who moved to four under with an impressive 66.
Jon Rahm, another contender for the season-long title who could clinch it with a win on Sunday, is six shots behind after his third straight round of 71. Lindberg will play in the penultimate group with Australia’s Adam Scott, who also shot a 67.
Hatton said of his position heading into the final round: "It would mean a lot to go on and win tomorrow. There is a lot that can change. The course is playing difficult this week and there’s a lot of fantastic players just behind. It is going to be a tough day."
The final round of the DP World Tour Championship will decide the Race to Dubai champion and the tournament winner, with Hatton and Perez set to lead the field out together. Live updates will be available on the BBC Sport website and app throughout Sunday.
According to Yahoo Sports.
