Defending champion Rory McIlroy carded a stunning 63 to surge into contention on day three of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic but will have to get past American Cameron Young if he is to claim a fourth title at Emirates Golf Club.<\/p>\n
The Northern Irishman carded seven birdies and a closing eagle to get to 12 under, having entered the weekend 10 shots off Young\u2019s lead after a slow start in the desert.<\/p>\n
He was top of the leaderboard as the world number 25 reached the turn in 37 but Young rallied with three birdies on the back nine to sign for a 71 and open up a two-shot lead at 14 under.<\/p>\n
Former Dubai resident McIlroy has an impressive record in the emirate, with his first professional win having come in this event 15 years ago.<\/p>\n
He has since added two more to match Ernie Els\u2019 record of Desert Classic wins, while also lifting the trophy twice across the city at the DP World Tour Championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had so much success in Dubai, whether it be at this tournament or over at Jumeirah Golf Estates and Race to Dubais,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a really, really good place to me. I love coming back here. I really enjoy my time here. It would be amazing if I was able to get another win.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first player to get my name on it four times, it would be awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
McIlroy hit a brilliant approach to the first, took advantage of the par-five third and then put iron shots inside 10 feet on the seventh, eighth and ninth to turn in 30.<\/p>\n
More birdies on par fives followed on the 10th and 13th before he holed a 45-foot putt from off the green at the last for a closing eagle.<\/p>\n
Young started with a birdie but found water on the seventh for a double-bogey and dropped a shot on the next, with gains on the 11th, 13th and 17th taking him back to the summit.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be a nice feeling (to win),\u201d said Young, who has yet to register a win on a top-tier tour.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of those times that you feel like kind of at peace with what you\u2019ve done and it\u2019s something I would love to do tomorrow. I\u2019ve put myself in another great place to have a chance and I\u2019m happy with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pole Adrian Meronk was alongside McIlroy at 12 under after a 70, three shots clear of Dane Rasmus Hojgaard and China\u2019s Li Haotong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Northern Irishman is looking to eclipse Ernie Els\u2019 record in the desert.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1249048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,29],"tags":[98,9285,9051,105],"class_list":["post-1249047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dp-world-tour","category-the_tours","tag-dp-world-tour","tag-dubai-desert-classic","tag-pa-news","tag-rory-mcilroy","priority_tax-homepage-slider"],"yoast_head":"\n