Rahm Takes Lead As McIlroy Chases Redemption In Abu Dhabi

Jon Rahm has reclaimed the lead as the Abu Dhabi Championship enters its final round. The Spaniard shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday to reach 18-under total at Yas Links. That score puts him just one stroke ahead of Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta, who both carded 67s. It is a sharp turnaround for a player who spent the last year away from this tour. He now holds the advantage on the course.

The Pressure of the Chase

Rory McIlroy sits two shots back at 16-under after a 67 on Saturday. He had shared the lead earlier in the day before dropping a shot on the par-3 17th. A double-bogey six at the 10th hole also cost him ground, breaking up a sequence of seven birdies between holes 7 and 14. His score rose from six to eight after a Thursday penalty for improving his lie on the 12th, creating a blemish. He admitted he was “a little rueful” about the missed chances. “I have a good shot at it [Sunday], which is all I want,” McIlroy said, according to ESPN. “I’m going to have to go out and shoot a low one, something in the mid to low 60s to get it done,” he told reporters, according to GolfMagic.

History on the Line

A win here would equal Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight career order of merit titles for McIlroy. He is currently projected to move to second in the Race to Dubai standings behind Eugenio Chacarra. Chacarra fired a 5-under 67 on Saturday to sit at 8-under overall. The field also features three Masters winners in the top five, including Adam Scott in fifth place at 15-under. Scott remains bogey-free through three rounds after shooting a 66. Because the playoff spans two weeks, 50 top-ranked players qualify for the $10 million finals event in Dubai next week. The final round begins on Sunday at Yas Links.