Dubai, Jan 20 (PTI) Rory McIlroy shot a brilliant 9-under 63 and was in the running to defend his title after third round at the Dubai Desert Classic Golf Championship on Saturday.

McIlroy was tied-second at 12-under, two behind Cameron Young, who stumbled in the middle before getting to the top by the end at 14-under. McIlroy and Adrian Meronk (70) were tied for second at 12-under.

Shubhankar Sharma followed his 71 on the second with 70 on the third. Sharma at 3-under was T-30th, much healthier compared to his tied 52nd after two days.

Yet, it could have been a lot better. Sharma admitted to leaving too many shots, especially on the Par-5s.

With the wind picking up in the afternoon, there were just seven rounds in the 60s. The two best cards of the day came from McIlroy (63) and his playing partner Joaquin Niemann (67), who was sole sixth. Five players shot 69 each, and only one of Li Haotong at T-4 was in Top-10.

Sharma said,”I thought I played the tougher front nine well and should have scored better on the back. I would have loved to make a birdie on the 18th today. It was a perfect yardage for a two iron (232 yards), but there was mud on the right of the ball.” On his play in his first event of 2024, he added, “It’s up and down; the driving has been good, but I also messed up a few drives today, so overall, the game is still like work on the progress.

“On the 11th and the 14th. On 11, I had about maybe six-seven feet. Not a bad putt, but went through the break left out on the right. And, a similar putt on 14, which was probably 10-11 feet, but just again the other way. So, a few putts.” McIlroy’s stunning 5-under on front nine, included a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh to the ninth. On the back nine, which has been better for scoring this week, McIlroy added two more birdies and closed with an eagle from off the green. The 63 equalled his best from the first round of the 2014 edition.

Young, who started the day with a 3-shot lead and 10 clear of McIlroy, lost the lead for a while. Then, the 2022 Open runner-up fought back on the back nine with three birdies for a 71 and was back on top at 14-under.

McIlroy was joined by the lanky Pole, Meronk. As McIlroy surged, Young had a birdie start, but with the wind up, he parred from second to the sixth and found the water off the tee on the Par-3 seventh. He took a double bogey.

Just then, McIlroy, playing many groups ahead, was at the finish and used the putter from off the green for an eagle and suddenly, he was on top.

Source: PTI News