Mcilroy In Joint Lead As He Closes On Dubai Title

DP World Tour Championship third-round leaderboard

-13 R McIlroy (NI), R Neergaard-Petersen (Den); -12 A Ayora (Spa), L Canter (Eng), M Fitzpatrick (Eng), T Fleetwood (Eng), T Hatton (Eng), R Hojgaard (Den)

Selected others: -11 L Aberg (Swe), N Hojgaard (Den), J Rose (Eng); -10 S Lowry (Ire), R MacIntyre (Sco); -8 J Parry (Eng); -4 M Penge (Eng)

Rory McIlroy sank 3 birdies successful nan last 5 holes to move into nan associated lead of nan DP World Tour Championship and adjacent successful connected a seventh season-ending Race to Dubai title.

The Northern Irishman carded a four-under-par 68 successful nan United Arab Emirates, during a information including 5 birdies and a bogey went to 13 under, on pinch Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.

England's Laurie Canter (68), Matt Fitzpatrick (66), Tommy Fleetwood (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (67) are connected 12 under, on pinch Spain's Angel Ayora (67) and Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard (65).

"Overall, a spot of a battling day," said McIlroy. "The conditions were tricky capable but happy to sprout nan people that I did."

The 36-year-old has a 767-point lead astatine nan apical of nan season-long rankings arsenic he goes for his 4th consecutive Race to Dubai crown.

Hatton and compatriot Marco Penge are nan only 2 who tin extremity McIlroy from winning nan season-long title.

Hatton needs to triumph nan tourney and person McIlroy decorativeness worse than tied for eighth to triumph it.

"I'm successful a amended position than him [Hatton]," added McIlroy. "I'm focused connected myself. If I spell retired and play nan play that I cognize that I'm tin of, particularly astir this play course, I cognize that I'll beryllium OK.

"It would beryllium an astonishing measurement to extremity nan season."

Penge changeable an improved 68 successful information 3 aft scores of 74 and 70, but looks retired of contention connected 4 under.