Tyrrell Hatton took the outright lead at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after the third round, pulling four shots clear of Rory McIlroy. Hatton carded a four-under-par 68 at the Earth Course to reach nine under for the tournament, while McIlroy slipped to a 72 and dropped to five under.
McIlroy began Saturday tied with Hatton but faltered through a difficult middle stretch. After an eagle three on the par-five seventh, he bogeyed the eighth, ninth and tenth holes. Though he birdied the 14th and the par-five 18th, a dropped shot on the 15th left him trailing. His narrow miss of a six-foot eagle putt at the last summed up the day’s frustration.
Hatton survived a tricky finish, scrambling a par at the 18th after his drive found water and his approach landed in a bunker. The Englishman now leads by a single stroke over Victor Perez, who shot 67 to sit at eight under, and by three shots over Sweden’s Mikael Lindberg, who is on six under.
“It would mean a lot to go on and win tomorrow,” Hatton said. “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.”
McIlroy’s hopes of equalling Colin Montgomerie’s record eighth Race to Dubai title took a hit with his drop in position. The six-time major champion started the tournament trailing Eugenio Chacarra in the season-long standings by over 500 points. A win would have guaranteed him the title, but he now needs to finish ahead of Chacarra and in the top four to clinch the crown.
Chacarra, who is currently leading the Race to Dubai, carded a 68 that included nine birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey, leaving him five shots behind Hatton.
McIlroy will tee off on Sunday alongside Dan Bradbury, who surged to four under with a 66. Bradbury is among a group tied for fourth with McIlroy, Spain’s Chacarra and Italy’s Francesco Laporta.
Lindberg will play in the penultimate group with Australia’s Adam Scott, who shot a 67 and sits five under.
Jon Rahm, another contender for the Race to Dubai title, lies six shots off the lead after his third straight 71.
The final round will determine the season’s Race to Dubai champion, with several players still in contention at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Live updates are available on the BBC Sport website and app.
According to BBC Sports.
