Justin Harding didn’t have a glamorous third round, only putting down three non-pars on the scorecard. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 offset an early bogey on eight for a Saturday 1-under 71 but Harding still holds a two-shot lead over his closest counterpart at the DP World Tour’s at Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic.
“I thought I played quite solid. It was a difficult day to be fair, some tough flags to get at,” he said. “There were times when I didn’t quite put the ball in play and I couldn’t really go anywhere near them.”
Despite the lead, he’s not counting on everyone behind him falling away on Sunday.
“At the end of the day, I’ve just got to go out and keep doing what I’m doing and make a couple of birdies and shoot 70, 69, something like that,” he said. “Make them shoot five or six under par and credit to them.”
The player sitting just two shots behind? Mr. Rory McIlroy.
He has now found himself in three Sunday final-round groups in his last four official starts. His scorecard consisted of four birdies, three bogeys, and an eagle for a day three total of 3-under 69. The big bird was set up by this beautiful, high-cut seven iron into the 10th.
Rory McIlroy eagles the 10th 🎯
He's one off the lead. #SlyncDDC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/YRjX8kBXNv
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 29, 2022
“I’m excited. I had a really good chance back in 2018, sorta let it slip through my fingers there. It’s nice to give myself another opportunity.”
With a win Sunday, McIlroy would join Ernie Els as the only other player to win this event three times.
Other notable names and where they stand:
Tommy Fleetwood (T-3, 9 under)
Tyrrell Hatton (T-5, 8 under)
Viktor Hovland (T-13, 6 under)
Sergio Garcia (T-13, 6 under)
Collin Morikawa (T-20, 4 under)
Adam Scott (T-20, 4 under)
