Alejandro del Rey credited his sharp short game as he moved into a two-stroke lead ahead of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship’s final round.
Related: Armitage maintains Ras Al Khaimah advantage
The Spaniard started the day two shots behind Englishman Marcus Armitage but flipped the advantage with a sizzling round of 66 to move two clear on 16 under par, setting up an intriguing final day battle as the duo pulled clear of the chasing pack, which sits five strokes behind Armitage’s 14 under.
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England’s Armitage was the first to make his move on Saturday at Al Hamra Golf Club, birdieing the first to extend his advantage, but del Rey bit back with successive gains at the second and third, before taking the lead with a birdie at the par five eighth.
Both men traded pars from the ninth and matched each other’s birdies at the 14th, but the 2022 Big Green Egg German Challenge winner almost holed his second at the par four 17th and tapped in the birdie to move two clear.
The 26-year-old then took advantage of a healthy slice of luck at the last, with his ball somehow staying out of the water off the tee, allowing him the opportunity to hit a wonderful three wood into the mouth of the green, setting up a simple up and down to put the finishing touches to a bogey-free 66.
The Spaniard will tomorrow go in search of his maiden DP World Tour title, having claimed the 54-hole lead for the first time in his career.
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Everything points towards a two-horse race for the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, but Australia’s Jason Scrivener put himself into contention with a seven under 65 to move to nine under, later being joined by South Africa’s Shaun Norris and Frenchman David Ravetto in a tie for third.
Player quotes
Alejandro del Rey: I’m very happy. I think I didn’t play probably as well as the last couple of days but I got away with a couple of shots that I missed and then my short game was amazing today. So very pleased.
I think in my mind I put a number in my head and that’s where I wanted to get. It’s true that we are competing against each other but I think it’s mainly tomorrow when it’s down to one another. So today was more about doing my work and just sticking to it.
