Mcilroy wrestles to lead at Abu Dhabi Golf Championship
Rory Mcilroy will take a one shot lead in to the final round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, with a thrilling final day batle ahead as he goes in search of a first Rolex Series victory.
The four-time Major winner recorded a five under par round of 67 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to get to 13 under par and reclaim the lead he relinquished to Ryder Cup team mate Tyrrell Hatton at the conclusion of the second round.
Ater starting the week with a sparkling 64 to top the leaderboard in the opening event of the 2021 season, the Northern Irishman needed a birdie on Saturday morning to sign for a level par 72 as the delayed second round was completed, and he was three shots off the lead ater 36 holes.
But Mcilroy roared back to come within touching distance of a first win at an event where he has been runner up four times, carding an eagle and five birdies to move one shot clear of threetime Rolex Series winner Haton, with double Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Tommy Fleetwood a shot further back.
American David Lipsky and Scot Marc Warren are at ten under par ater a pair of 68s, one shot ahead of Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello, with Australia’s Jason Scrivener at eight under.
At the end of day three, Mcilroy said: “Today was a litle beter. It’s so blustery and it’s a different type of golf than we’re used to playing here in Abu Dhabi where there’s usually not much wind.
“I thought I did well today. Obviously had that big stroke of luck on ten, the ball hiting the pin and going in. It was going over the green and was going to be let with a tricky up-and-down for par.
“Sometimes that’s what you need in golf tournaments to be in contention and to end up winning is those litle strokes of luck every now and again.”
The only tournament that the 31-year-old Mcilroy has played more times than Abu Dhabi without winning the title is the Masters. He has finished second on four occasions and third three times in his 10 previous appearances.
“I can’t go into tomorrow thinking it’s my turn,” the world number six told europeantour.com.
“I want to make it my turn. I have to go out there and continue to hit the ball like I hit it on the back nine tonight. If I can do that and give myself plenty of chances, I’ll have a real chance.”
The highlight of Mcilroy’s round was an eagle on the par-five 10th when he holed his approach shot, while back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16 took him ahead of Haton.
“Obviously had that big stroke of luck on 10, the ball hiting the pin and going in,” he added.
“Apart from that, I played well. I drove it much beter on the back nine and I hit it much beter on the back nine, so I was really encouraged with that.”
It was a frustrating day for world number nine Haton, who struggled to find his best form in the blustery conditions.
Fleetwood, the Abu Dhabi winner in 2017 and 2018, bolstered his bid for a first European Tour victory since 2019 by carding a second straight 67.
American David Lipsky and Scotland’s Marc Warren sit three shots off the lead on 10-under, one ahead of Rafael Cabrera Bello, who could only manage a third-round 73, playing alongside Mcilroy and Haton.
Earlier in the day, Alexander Levy produced a stunning hole-in-one on the 163-yard par three 15th hole to win a brand-new BMW M850i coupe car valued at Dhs. 367,000.
Starting on the back nine, the Frenchman began his round with birdies on ten and 12 before the stunning ace on 15 lead to wild celebrations on the tee.
The 30-year-old struck his nine iron straight at the 15th pin which bounced twice before rolling straight into the hole making him one car richer as the first player to shoot a hole-in-one during the 2021 tournament.
In the morning, UAE’S number one golfer Ahmad Skaik completed his second round steadily but failed to make the cut of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.