Rory out to fire his way past China’s Li as he aims for a desert victory
Rory McIlroy will go into today’s final round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic just one shot off the lead after yesterday shooting a thirdround 68.
The Northern Irishman trails China’s Li Haotong, who carded a 64 to reach 20-under-par.
Alexander Levy – who enjoyed a hole- in- one at the fourth – and Haydn Porteous finished the day at 17-under, with Andy Sullivan a shot further back and David Horsey on 15- under. Tyrrell Hatton was among a group of eight players on 14-under.
McIlroy began another day of low scoring by completing his fogdelayed second round with three successive birdies.
That gave him a two-shot lead at the halfway point, but he was unable to maintain that momentum at the start of his third round.
Two bogeys on the front nine took him to the turn in 36 but an eagle and three birdies coming home kept him firmly in contention.
“The back nine was good, the front nine not so much,” said McIlroy, a two-time winner of the tournament. “I made a couple of sloppy mistakes on the front nine.
“I feel like if I play my game I’ll be able to shoot something a bit lower tomorrow, and I think I’ll need to shoot something lower to be able to win.
“Li played really well out there, and if he continues to play like that I’ll need to shoot something similar to what he shot today.”
Li, who began his third round three shots behind McIlroy, made a confident start with four birdies in his first eight holes.
Three more followed in the space of four holes from the turn and he finished with another at the last.
“When I have won before, it was always coming from really far behind to win events,” Li said.
“I’ve never been in this position, but I’m happy to see my game in this shape.
“Hopefully I will make some birdies tomorrow and shoot some low scores.”
Levy, buoyed by his early ace, battled with Li for top spot on the leaderboard amid a run of five successive birdies, but bogeys on the 15th and 16th saw him drop back.
Despite that, the Frenchman still signed for a 65 after a birdie on the 18th. Porteous recorded birdies on the last three holes to match his score.
Levy said: “That was a perfect yardage for a little nine iron on the fourth. I hit a perfect shot straight at the flag and I don’t know, I got lucky because it’s a lot of downhill, left-to-right.
“I promise you, the last few days I played some good golf. I just enjoyed it and tried to hit the perfect shots.
“I had a good stretch from nine to 14. And from there I started to think: ‘ I ’m leading the tournament’, so I put a little bit more pressure on my shoulders, and I missed three short putts in a row.
“But I bounced back on 18 with a great birdie. Two great shots, one perfect drive, one perfect three iron into the wind. It was good to finish well and to sleep with a birdie in my mind.”
Sullivan’s 63 was the lowest third- round score, but it was a difficult day for early leader Jamie Donaldson.
The Welshman, two off the lead at halfway, carded a three- overpar 75 to slip to 10-under.