SA’s Harding to do battle with McIlroy in Dubai’s desert

Justin Harding stayed patient throughout a demanding third round of the Dubai Desert Classic to maintain a two-shot lead on Saturday with Rory McIlroy in hot pursuit.

South Africa’s Harding started the day two ahead of the field, and made two birdies and one bogey in a round of one-under par 71 to take his three-day tally to 12-under par 204.

He is being chased by two-time champion McIlroy, who is in the hunt to equal the mark of three wins in Dubai by Ernie Els.

The 35-year-old Harding, a late bloomer who shot to fame in 2018 when he rededicated himself to the game and won two titles each in the South African Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour, made a bogey on the 8th hole, but made up for that with birdies on the 12th and 13th holes.

“Yeah, I’m quite happy. I thought I played quite solid. It was a difficult day to be fair, and it needed some tough legs to get at.

“There were times when I didn’t quite put the ball in play. The one bogey I made was from long range with the putter.

“I would have loved to have snuck one birdie coming in, on the 17th or 18th, but I was happy with those,” said the player ranked 122nd in the world.

Asked about some of the big names chasing him, Harding said: “I’ve just got to go out and keep doing what I’m doing, and make a couple birdies and shoot a 70 or a 69, and make them shoot 5- or 6-under par. If they do that and win, credit to them.”

McIlroy, winner of the tournament in 2009 and 2015, was keen to match Els’ record.

“I live in his old house in Florida. It would be nice to do something else, which is sort of intertwined with him,” said the world No8 from Northern Ireland, who made an eagle on the par-5 10th, four birdies and three bogeys.

“I think it was a fair reflection how I played. Some good things in there and a couple bad things as well and I feel like it all evened out by the end and it was nice to birdie the last and shoot something in the 60s and play myself into the final group tomorrow,” said McIlroy.

With the putting surface firming up and the pins tucked in corners of the new, expanded greens of the Majlis course, it was getting difficult to get close to the flags as the day progressed.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry (68) was the only player to have bettered McIlroy’s 69.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood matched McIlroy’s 69 and was in a tie for third place at 9-under par alongside South Africa’s Erik Van Rooyen (71).

Lee Westwood could have joined McIlroy at 10-under, but a triple-bogey eight on the closing par-5 pushed him down to 7-under and tied for 10th place. 

Tyrrell Hatton, leader at 12-under par with a birdie on the 10th hole, made bogeys on the 12th and 14th, followed by a double on the 15th to slip to tied fifth at 8-under par.

Defending champion, England’s Paul Casey (70), was four shots off the pace.