Rahm hits the front as Fitzpatrick and Mcilroy lurk

DUBAI: Former world number one Jon Rahm produced a battling, bogey-free round of seven-under 65 to hit the front of the Us$10mil (Rm45.5mil) DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

The 2021 US Open victor holds a one-stroke lead over Matthew Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, with Rory Mcilroy also breathing down his neck a further two strokes back.

All three are also looking to become the first three-time champion of the tournament.

Fitzpatrick and Mcilroy, meanwhile, are two of the seven players in the field vying to win the Race to Dubai.

With two others, Adrian Meronk and Tommy Fleetwood, both two strokes behind Mcilroy at 10-under, there is every prospect of a thrilling final round.

Mcilroy needs to finish ahead of Ryan Fox and Fitzpatrick to become only the second player after Sweden’s Henrik Stenson in 2013 to win the Fedex Cup and the Race to Dubai in the same season.

The Northern Irishman, who had closed his round on Friday with a birdie-birdie-eagle finish, overcame a stuttering start when he sandwiched an eagle on the second with bogeys on the first and third.

But he was brilliant otherwise in a round of 65 to finish on tied fourth place at 12-under on Saturday.

“It’s been a little better. I thought that last three holes yesterday could really kick-start a little bit of momentum for me, and I’ve brought that into today,” said the 33-yearold.

Rahm, who is out of the running for the Race to Dubai title, relishes the challenge of the Earth course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates – his worst score in 14 rounds at the course is a 70.

“Could not be any more opposite of the feeling from the second round,” said the Spaniard.

“I don’t think I could have shot any lower today. I maximised the round.”

The winner this week gets a cheque of Us$3mil (Rm13.6mil), while the top-eight players on the Race to Dubai share a bonus pool of Us$3mil, with the winner getting Us$1mil (Rm4.55mil).