Rory McIlroy is now staring at a historic career victory first heading into the final round DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
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Not only is McIlroy seeking a fifth victory in a season for a third time in his career but he is just two shots shy in capturing the same European Tour event three times which would be a first for the Holywood professional.
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Never before in his now 27 worldwide victories has McIlroy enjoyed such a triple tournament triumph toast.
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On moving day, McIlroy brilliantly bounced back from a shock second round 74 to play the golf we’re accustomed grabbing a seventh hole eagle and five birdies in a superb turnaround 65.
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McIlroy now heads into his closing event of the year at 13-under par and trailing just two shots behind the leading duo of Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera (69) and Spain’s Jon Rahm (66).
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Rahm has the honour earlier this year of winning a second Spanish Open and Irish Open victories and has now put his big frame in the picture to win also a second DP World Tour title in three years.
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Lorenzo-Vera, and looking for a first Tour win, found the water off the tee at the last and then three-putted for a bogey.
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World No. 2 ranked McIlroy kick-started his round with a pair of birdies and with the highlight clearly eagling the par-5 seventh hole to now have played the hole in four-under after birdies over his opening two rounds.
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He then birdied the eighth and with McIlroy also showing his fondness for the 14th and 16th holes to be two-under par on each of the holes for three rounds.
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McIlroy is now a staggering 10-under par after the first three days play on the par-5s.
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“I got off to a hot start again, 5-under through nine, and the back nine played a little tricky, so you know, to play that bogey-free was nice,” he said.
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“I had a few chances that I didn’t quite convert. I probably should have birdied 15 and I would have liked to have birdied the last, but you know, I’ll take it.
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“I’m not complaining. It was a good round of golf, and it gives me a good chance going into the final day.”
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After the shock of backing-up Thursday’s opening 64 with a day two 74, Mcllroy went straight to the Jumeriah Estates range where he ironed-out the wrinkles in his play.
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“Sometimes when I hit a lot of shots into the wind, I get a bit too much on my left side on the way down, and my left knee starts to go forward,” revealed McIlroy.
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“My arms get too deep in the downswing and then I start missing it left, basically. Â
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“So, on the range last night, I was just trying to really feel like my left knee gets out of the way so my arms can come down in front of me a little bit more and I can start the ball a little bit more online.
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“I just worked on that and thankfully it wasn’t as windy today. Still, I missed a couple of iron shots but I hit some good ones on the way in, which was pleasing.”
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Lorenzo-Vera’s 18th hole bogey certainly has opened victory door for Rahm and McIlroy, and with McIlroy not only looking to win a fifth event in a season for a third time in his career but also win the same event for a third time, and what would be another first in his 12-year pro career.
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“To win this DP World for a third time would be a nice box to tick,” he said.
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“For sure, it is nice to come back to courses that you’re familiar with all the time, and that brings its own advantages, I guess, compared to maybe some of the other guys in the field.
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“But yeah, it would be nice. It’s been a great year so far and this is my last event of the year. It would be wonderful going into the break to finish on a high.”