Victor Dubuisson will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai after posting a superb third round 64 over the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
An impressive burst of scoring on his back nine – including a birdie at the last – saw the Frenchman move to 13 under, one stroke clear of nearest challengers Nicolas Colsaerts, Tyrrell Hatton and Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Rafa Cabrera Bello, whose third-round 63 was the lowest score of the week so far, is another shot back on 11 under alongside Lee Westwood and Francesco Molinari.
Swede Henrik Stenson, who tops the Race to Dubai rankings presented by Rolex, recovered from dropping three shots in his opening ten holes to sign for a 70 and move to five under.
It was a significant move for Stenson who now looks likely to be crowned Europe’s Number One for the second time in his career on Sunday afternoon after his nearest challenger – Master Champion Danny Willett – carded five bogeys and a single birdie in his 76 to fall to one over par.
Alex Noren, currently third in the Race to Dubai, posted a three-under 69 to move to seven under, but the Swede needs to finish in the top two to have any chance of overtaking his countryman at the summit of the Rankings.
Player quotes
Victor Dubuisson: “It’s a great score. It’s my best score to date on this course. I’ve played well, made the good putts at the right time. I’m happy to be able to putt it in the hole.
“The eagle on the fifth, sometimes it goes in. It’s a big bonus, but you know on the next hole you’ve got to focus again, and I was quite excited. It’s just a course I like. It’s long. You have to carry the ball long. It’s target golf. The long game is very important. I just like the way it sets up.”
Nicolas Colsaerts: “A grandstand finish on the last is always nice, but it’s the same scenario again: I go from shooting myself in the foot with a couple of three-putts, missing short ones again, and then I play a game that’s probably nine out of ten, all the parts of the game.
“So it can be very frustrating, when you get into this position in those big tournaments, it’s kind of maybe a little easier to keep digging in and not really let it away from you.”
Matt Fitzpatrick: “The last group is where everyone wants to be on Sunday to give yourself a chance of winning, and for me just to keep putting myself in these positions, it’s a great experience. I’ll be one behind going into the final round, but hopefully a 66 tomorrow could be all right.”
Tyrrell Hatton: “I think it’s just one of those days. I feel really comfortable on this golf course and hopefully I get off to a slightly better start, or a more consistent start tomorrow, and throw in a few birdies. I’m in a good position going into the final round. It’ a great score today. I do look at the leaderboard a lot to know where I’m at, and tomorrow won’t be any different. So hopefully I can play well and climb another spot.”
Henrik Stenson: “I’ve just got to go out and try to play a solid round tomorrow. I know if Alex finishes second on his own, I’ve got to be inside the top eight, so that’s kind of the scenario that I’m trying to achieve. Obviously it’s a long way for me to be second on my own in case he were to win. I’ve just got to keep at it and try and play a good round tomorrow, finish off the week, and we can start counting afterwards.”
Round three scores:
203 V Dubuisson (Fra) 70 69 64,
204 T Hatton (Eng) 71 66 67, N Colsaerts (Bel) 67 71 66, M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 69 69 66,
205 R Cabrera Bello (Esp) 71 71 63, F Molinari (Ita) 68 67 70, L Westwood (Eng) 66 70 69,
207 B Wiesberger (Aut) 70 67 70, S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 69 68, N Elvira (Esp) 70 69 68, C Schwartzel (RSA) 70 67 70,
208 T Fleetwood (Eng) 70 71 67,
209 S Garcia (Esp) 68 67 74, B An (Kor) 70 69 70, R Karlberg (Swe) 72 70 67, A Noren (Swe) 71 69 69, T Olesen (Den) 71 70 68,
210 S Lowry (Irl) 70 71 69, D Horsey (Eng) 72 71 67, J Luiten (Ned) 68 69 73, R Fisher (Eng) 72 71 67,
211 J Quesne (Fra) 67 76 68, R McIlroy (Nir) 75 68 68, J Campillo (Esp) 72 71 68, R Sterne (RSA) 70 70 71, B Grace (RSA) 72 74 65, H Stenson (Swe) 72 69 70,
212 A Sullivan (Eng) 76 66 70, R Gouveia (Por) 72 69 71, J Wang (Kor) 75 72 65, M Kaymer (Ger) 71 74 67,
213 L Haotong (Chn) 74 70 69, P Larrazábal (Esp) 71 71 71, A Levy (Fra) 69 73 71, G Coetzee (RSA) 72 70 71, G Bourdy (Fra) 72 73 68, J Van Zyl (RSA) 69 71 73, R Paratore (Ita) 70 73 70,
214 P Harrington (Irl) 72 71 71, S Hend (Aus) 72 73 69, T Pieters (Bel) 72 72 70, T Jaidee (Tha) 74 70 70, F Aguilar (Chi) 74 73 67,
215 R Jacquelin (Fra) 72 71 72, D Lipsky (USA) 72 71 72, J Lagergren (Swe) 74 69 72, A Cañizares (Esp) 73 72 70,
216 K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 69 74 73, M Ilonen (Fin) 70 73 73, M Southgate (Eng) 72 74 70,
217 L Oosthuizen (RSA) 69 74 74, D Willett (Eng) 71 70 76, R Bland (Eng) 71 76 70,
218 C Wood (Eng) 75 72 71,
219 B Dredge (Wal) 72 75 72,
220 S Lee (Kor) 71 73 76, R Wattel (Fra) 82 68 70,
221 M Fraser (Aus) 69 74 78, B Stone (RSA) 74 73 74,
226 A Johnston (Eng) 78 70 78,
