Shane Lowry still has an outside chance of clinching his first worldwide victory since 2022 as he trails Aaron Rai by five shots heading into the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links.
Lowry carded a four-under-par 68 but it was the joint lowest score of anybody in the top-17 so it’s no wonder he cut a frustrated figure despite closing with a birdie.
The Offaly man was solid if unspectacular, missing just three greens in regulation but yielded just four birdies in his opening eleven holes. A second successive bogey on the par-3 17th soured his day before he rolled in from 14-feet for a four at the par-5 18th to lie in a share of 8th place on fifteen-under.
Rai enjoyed his day in the final group alongside Tommy Fleetwood and his 66 sees him one shot clear of the Englishman and Nicolai Hojgaard on 20-under-par with Nacho Elvira two shots further back in third with Andy Sullivan and Daniel Hillier on 17-under.
Rai seemed unflappable for sixteen holes but a three-putt bogey on the par-3 17th and a closing par has left the door ajar for the likes of Lowry who are back in the pack.
Hojgaard carded a round of 65 while Fleetwood (67) ended a run of eight straight pars with two birdies in his last three holes.
Rai, a PGA Tour winner and Rolex Series champion, was in a league of his own for a sparkling fourteen holes when he reeled off seven birdies before his late wobble.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy carded seven birdies in a moving day 66 to reach fourteen-under-par which lifted him into a share of 12th place. The Masters champion also boosted his hopes of claiming a seventh Race to Dubai title and a fourth successive Harry Vardon Trophy as he is three shots clear of his closest challenger Marco Penge.
Despite a big move, the Holywood man feels he is out of the running for a first title at Yas Links.
“Sometimes it is hard to stay patient when you’re seeing all the guys behind you, five-under through nine, and you’re trying to play catch-up,” said McIlroy, who birdied six of his first 11 holes but could make no further ground coming home.
“It seems like no matter how well you play, they seem to keep making birdies.
“That’s the name of the game on this golf course. It sort of has been for the last few years.
“You’re going to have to shoot low scores to have a chance. I played okay, but not quite good enough to get myself right into contention this week.”
Tom McKibbin made it back to back rounds of 69 as he climbed into 64th on three-under.
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