Rory McIlroy moved into a share of the lead on Saturday at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship as he looks to finish his season in style with a fifth worldwide victory this year and a seventh Race to Dubai title.
The Masters champion shot a four-under-par 68, helped by three birdies in his last five holes as he turned the screw on a tricky day at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
McIlroy’s score was matched by Danish golfer Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen on 13-under-par, while there are 16 players within three shots of the lead, including Shane Lowry on 10 under. Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton are among the group just a shot back on 12 under.
Overnight leader Nicolai Hojgaard struggled to a 73 to fall two back on 11 under. Tom McKibbin is tied 24th on six under.
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“Overall, a bit of a battling day. The conditions were tricky enough. But happy to shoot the score that I did,” McIlroy said.
Hatton gives McIlroy something to think about as he can win the Race to Dubai should he win the tournament and McIlroy finishes worse than tied eighth. Marco Penge, second in the Race to Dubai, is out of contention on four under.
McIlroy said Hatton will not be on his mind as he is in a better position than him.
“I’m focused on myself. If I go out and play the golf that I know I’m capable of, especially around this golf course, I know that it will be okay,” he said.
“It would be an amazing way to end the season. I certainly could have coasted into these couple of weeks and enjoyed myself but The Race to Dubai is important to me, and it’s important to me to try to get a little bit closer to Monty.
“As I said, I’ve put myself in a great position to go and do that tomorrow.”
McIlroy tees off at 7.55am Irish time with Neergaard-Petersen in his final round on Sunday.
