Rory McIlroy is continuing his charge for a record-equalling eighth DP World Tour order of merit title with another impressive round at the Abu Dhabi Championship.
The Northern Irishman managed eight birdies on his was to sign for a five-under round of 67, a double-bogey on the par-four 10th and a bogey on the 17th slowing his pursuit of leader Jon Rahm.
McIlroy, on 16-under after three rounds, is two shots adrift of the Spaniard, with England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Italy’s Francesco Laporta in a share of second on 17-under.
McIlroy is looking to make up ground in the penultimate tournament in the Race to Dubai, which wraps up after next week’s Tour Championship. The Masters champion is third in the order of merit, behind Eugenio Chacarra and Patrick Reed.
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McIlroy has now leapfrogged Reed in the projected rankings after the American carded a two-under round of 70 at Yas Links on Saturday for tied-51st. Chacarra retains the top spot after improving on his earlier rounds to sign for a five-under 67 for a share of 29th in Abu Dhabi.
“I played some really good golf out there but I’m also a little rueful,” McIlroy said of his third round. “I felt like I had some really good momentum coming off the back of the front nine.
“Just the bunker shot came out a lot faster than I anticipated, and then over the green and it was sort of dead from there. I followed another poor shot with another mistake at the third and ended up making a mess and made double.
“But I fought back and made birdies on the next four holes. So it was a good bounce back. Overall, a good day.
“If I can just limit the mistakes, there’s enough good golf. There’s enough birdies. There’s enough opportunities. I can play a clean round of golf tomorrow, I won’t be too far away.”
