Things are really heating up in the desert over in Abu Dhabi. The course has been virtually defenseless for the past two rounds but things are expected to get tough on Sunday with some strong winds in the forecast. Here’s what transpired during Saturday’s third round, moving day at the HSBC Champions:
Thomas Pieters and Ross Fisher are tied at the top, both reached 17-under. Pieters found trouble at the closing hole and failed to birdie the par five, giving up a shot to most of the contenders. In fact, Pieters had to hole a nine-footer for par to stay tied with Fisher. Pieters put up a third round 67 while Fisher’s closing birdie was good for 65 and a tie with Pieters.
Rory McIlroy is right where he wants to be. Playing in his first event of 2018, McIlroy has gotten better every round. He opened with a 69, improved to 66 on Friday and shot 65 on moving day and will start at 16-under, one back. Rory has just one bogey on his card for 54-holes. He went winless last season but that can come to an end on Sunday.
Tommy Fleetwood, the defending champion, will have his shot at a repeat. Fleetwood, like McIlroy, has played 54 holes with just a single bogey on his card. His 67 on Saturday got him in the house at 15-under par, just two back going into what should be a windy final round.
Matthew Fitzpatrick was the hottest player on the course. The young Englishman shot a dazzling 29 on the front nine with seven birdies. He got it to nine-under with birdies at 10 and 12 and was looking at a new course record. A bogey at the 16th ended that. A closing birdie gave him 63, nine-under and a shot shy of tying the course low mark. Matt will play in the next-to-last pairing Sunday with Rory.
World’s No. 1 Dustin Johnson cooled off after his 64 on Friday. D.J. will have to do something special on Sunday to get into contention. His 68 left him at 12-under, five shots back of the leaders.
Justin Rose barely made the cut at two-under par but he found some better form in the third round and finished with a 67 that got him to seven-under par.
Matt Kuchar, like Rose, barely made the cut. He shot 69 and is five-under par, tied for 44th.
