Cameron Young will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic after carding a gutsy 71 on day three at Emirates Golf Club.
The American entered the weekend with a three-shot advantage but found himself one back as he turned in 37, with three-time champion Rory McIlroy setting the target at 12 under after a stunning 63.
Related: Cameron Young takes control at Hero Dubai Desert Classic
The World Number 25 found another gear on the back nine, however, carding three birdies to get to 14 under in the first Rolex Series event of the season.
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The 26-year-old could have been further ahead, such was the quality of his iron play after the turn, but he will now go out with McIlroy in round four, with Pole Adrian Meronk alongside the Northern Irishman after a 70.
After a shaky start on day one, Young finished birdie-birdie eagle to share the lead and looked in complete control as he carded a second-round 64.
His front nine woes continued on day three but he is 14 under for the week after the turn and will now go in search of a first DP World Tour win in wire-to-wire fashion after finishing second at the 2022 Open Championship and 2023 WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play.
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World Number Two McIlroy arrived in Dubai level with Ernie Els for most wins at this event but entered the weekend ten shots back after starting his week 71-70.
With a stacked field to overcome in the first Rolex Series event of the season, the 34-year-old knew he needed to do something special to defend his title and he produced just that with a brilliant bogey-free 63.
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A remarkable eagle putt from off the green on the par-five last moved him to 12 under, giving him the chance to win a third Rolex Series title, fourth Dallah Trophy, and sixth event in Dubai.
Dane Rasmus Højgaard and China’s Li Haotong were then three shots further back at nine under, one ahead of Chilean Joaquin Niemann.
Player quotes
Cameron Young: I feel like I really played okay. The front nine, especially, is kind of one of those days when a few things don’t quite go your way. I didn’t putt quite as well as I have the last few days, and with a little bit more wind, it wasn’t that easy. I think all in all, it was a good battle. And not obviously trying to be winning by ten after today, but two is better than none.
I think it will be fun (playing with Rory McIlroy). They are both very good players, and it’s a good golf course. So I’ve played well this week and I’m looking forward to tomorrow and seeing what I can do.
It’s one of those, obviously it’s been probably since those Korn Ferry Tour wins since I’ve won anything at all. It would be a nice feeling. It’s one of those times that you feel like kind of at peace with what you’ve done, and it’s something I would love to do tomorrow. But I’ve put myself in another great place to have a chance, and I’m happy with that. So if I go out and go through the process that we’ve kind of set up for tomorrow and see what happens, see what happens.
Rory McIlroy: I was walking up with the putter in my hand, and as I got closer to the ball, I saw that there was a lot of fringe to go through. And I said to Harry, like I sort of want to chip it but the lie wasn’t great. I could just see the club bouncing.
I was like, I’ll just sort of, I guess, ride my luck with the putter, and it came out perfectly. And as soon as it got on the green, it actually wasn’t as fast as I thought it was going to be once it got on the green. And it was tracking perfectly. Obviously a huge bonus for something like that to go in. But you know, for the rest of the day, I played some very, very good golf. Definitely better than I played the last couple of days and nice to get myself right back in the tournament.
I think for me, the key to this golf course is always the front nine because it is the tougher nine, and if you can play that nine well, you give yourself a ton of momentum going into the more scorable back nine.
I think the fact that I turn up every day still trying to get better. I think the consistency that I’ve shown throughout my career, I’ve never lost the hunger to go out and play better. But I’ve also never lost the joy of the game, which I think is really, really important. It’s never felt like a job to me, and the day it does feel like a job is the day I need to give up.
It would be amazing. First player to get my name on it four times, yeah, it would be awesome. I’ve had so much success in Dubai, whether it be at this tournament or over at Jumeirah Golf Estates and Race to Dubai’s. It’s been a really, really good place to me. I love coming back here. I really enjoy my time here. Yeah, it would be amazing if I was able to get another win.
Adrian Meronk: I’m exhausted to be honest. The course wasn’t easy today. The course is playing, I thought, tougher. The greens were firmer and faster. Tough pin positions. But overall, yeah, good position going into Sunday, so I’m happy for that.
be honest it’s my first shank in my career in a tournament. I was completely shocked when it happened. The ball was lying quite high on the grass. I thought it was a good lie but I must have done something wrong. It just went 90 degrees to the right, and yeah, I was pretty shocked. But at the end it was a good bogey.
I’m in great position going into Sunday. I’m excited for tomorrow. I just want to get good rest tonight and get ready for tomorrow and it will be fun.
