DP World Tour Championship - day three digest

Rory, Rasmus and Rozner could not be separated, Sullivan sinks a stunner and Wallace finds the big bird from the bunker.

Everything you need to know from the third round in Dubai.

McIlroy motors on

Rory McIlroy played in the final group for the third straight day after starting the Saturday's round one behind overnight leader Antoine Rozner. Rasmus Højgaard surged ahead and moved three clear when he carded his sixth birdie through eight holes. The World Number Three hit back with four birdies, and a dropped shot, in a six-hole stretch from the seventh helped him climb alongside Højgaard at 12 under. The pair could not be separated and were joined by Rozner, who carded the only eagle of the day at the last. The Northern Irishman said: "Tied for the lead. Going out on a golf course that I really like and that I've had success on before. It's a great opportunity to end the year on a really high note. Going to go out there tomorrow and give it everything I can and hopefully things fall my way and I'm able to stand on that 18th green with both trophies."

Rasmus rises to the top

Højgaard surged into the lead thanks to a birdie blitz on his front nine. The Dane, whose identical twin brother Nicolai lifted this trophy last year, started the day three shots behind Rozner but by the time he was on sixth green aiming to drain his fifth straight birdie, he was leading by two. He could not keep his birdie trail going on that occasion, however, he added another brace from the seventh to reach the turn in 30.

Ten straight pars, including one through the back door at the 17th and a 21-foot effort at the last after two penalty drops, followed to keep his card clean and remain at 12 under. Speaking about his par save at the last, he admitted: "It was looking more like an eight at some point. Yeah, incredible. It wasn't an easy pitch shot, short right to be fair and got it up to a decent chance to hole the putt. I had already written down a six on my scorecard. Very happy."

Rozner rallies to stay on top

Playing with four-time Major winner and World Number Three McIlroy could pile the pressure on anyone, never mind when he is breathing down your neck in an event that you are leading. Rozner also saw his advantage quickly disappear when Højgaard raced through the front nine on Saturday. However, the Frenchman kept his cool to bounce back from a bogey at the fourth with birdies at the fifth, ninth and 11th to sit one adrift of the Dane and McIlroy. A bogey at the 14th saw him slip further back, but a magical approach into the last saw him record the only eagle of the day at the 18th hole to make it a three-way tie at the top. Rozner said: "I think the eagle on last helped me big time. I'm happy with my day overall. I didn't produce my best golf of the week so far but I was always hanging in there. I managed to hole a couple putts on the back nine that were big for me. I think shooting in the 60s here is good. It's always good. So I have to be happy with the score for sure."

Wallace loves the sand

Matt Wallace has made it clear his main objective for next season is to make the European Team at the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York. He started four shots off the lead at the start of his third round, but halved the deficit with this brilliant hole out for eagle from the bunker at the second. The Englishman signed for an entertaining 70 which included an eagle, three birdies, a bogey and a double to sit five behind the leading trio.

Sullivan sinks a stunner

Andy Sullivan may not have been challenging at the top of the leaderboard on Saturday, but he holed this wonderful putt from way off the 16th green, and on a severe downslope, to save par.

Waring's fist pump

Paul Waring, winner of last week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, is a member at Jumeirah Golf Estates and was in contention after the first round. He has drifted a little from the summit, but he certainly enjoyed his 32 foot birdie putt at the 15th to see him finish in the red numbers on Saturday.