An eagle at the par-5 11th hole Saturday helped Spain’s Jon Rahm seize a one-shot lead entering the final round of the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship in the United Arab Emirates.
The two-time major winner opened birdie-eagle-birdie on the back nine on his way to a 6-under 6 to move to 18-under 198 at Yas Links GC.
England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Italy’s Francesco Laporta are tied for second at 17-under after both carded rounds of 67, with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy two shots back after also shooting 67.
“It was a good day overall,” Rahm said. “Just holes four, five, and six got away from me for a second. A couple of bad swings, one bogey and I was able to minimize the other two. From then on, I played some decent golf, I would say all day, except those three holes.”
Rahm, 31, is looking for his sixth Rolex Series title, having won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open twice and the DP World Tour Championship three times. He won the latter in 2022 before moving to LIV Golf.
“It would be amazing (to win). It’s been a good year so far, but to win again on the DP World Tour would be special,” Rahm said.
Hatton tallied six birdies with a bogey at the par-3 eighth hole. Laporta started hot with birdies at Nos. 1, 2 and 4 and added two more birdies on the back in a clean round.
“Should be a fun day,” Hatton said looking ahead to Sunday. “I imagine the scoring will be low again. So we’re all going to need play well. The guys who are just behind on the leaderboard, they are going to be making plenty of birdies, as well. I’m sure it will be an exciting final day for everyone watching at home.”
Hatton is also seeking his sixth Rolex Series title and his second in Abu Dhabi (2021).
The Abu Dhabi tournament begins the DP World Tour’s two-event playoffs, with McIlroy seeking a record-tying eighth Race to Dubai title. He is third in the standings behind Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra and American Patrick Reed.
McIlroy, the World No. 2, posted eight birdies along with a double-bogey and a bogey on the back nine.
“If I can just limit the mistakes, there’s enough good golf,” he said. “There’s enough birdies. There’s enough opportunities to make birdies out there with the par-5s. A couple of the shorter par-4s. Yeah, I can play a clean round of golf tomorrow, I won’t be too far away.”
