-15<\/strong> R McIlroy (NI); <\/span>-12<\/strong> D Bradbury (Eng), C Shinkwin (Eng); <\/span>-11<\/strong> A Arnaus (Spa), R Bland (Eng), A Hidalgo (Spa), S Norris (SA), V Perez (Fra), I Poulter (Eng), P Reed (US)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n| Selected others: <\/strong>-10<\/strong> C Hill (Sco), M Wallace (Eng); <\/span>-9<\/strong> M Thorbjornsen (US)*; <\/span>-8<\/strong> R MacIntyre (Sco); <\/span>-7<\/strong> D Law (Sco)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | * denotes amateur<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n | World number one Rory McIlroy carded a seven-under-par third round of 65 to take a three-shot lead in the rain-delayed Dubai Desert Classic.<\/span><\/p>\n The Northern Irishman made eight birdies and a bogey to get to 15 under on the Majlis course at Emirates Club.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Englishmen Callum Shinkwin (67) and Dan Bradbury (68) are second.<\/span><\/p>\n Joint overnight leader Richard Bland carded a 71 to sit 11 under in a group including fellow Englishman Ian Poulter (69) and American Patrick Reed (69).<\/span><\/p>\n The final round of the DP World Tour event will be played on Monday, a day later than scheduled, after heavy rain on the first day meant only 12 of the 132-man field completed their first round on time.<\/span><\/p>\n McIlroy, 33, birdied the first four holes as well as the 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th before dropping a shot with a six on the last.<\/span><\/p>\n “It felt like the good golf came in two bursts, and then the rest of it was OK,” said McIlroy.<\/span><\/p>\n “I held it together. I still don’t feel quite in control of my game. But today was much better than yesterday, so that was a positive.<\/span><\/p>\n “This is my first start of the year. I don’t think I’ve ever won in my first start of the year – I had plenty of chances at Abu Dhabi down the road over the years, and never quite got it done. <\/span><\/p>\n “So tomorrow is a nice opportunity to try to do something that I’ve never done before.”<\/span><\/p>\n Adria Arnaus and Angel Hidalgo of Spain, South African Shaun Norris and last week’s winner Victor Perez of France are the other players on 11 under.<\/span><\/p>\n New Zealand’s Ryan Fox fired a 66 to get into contention at 10 under, alongside Thomas Pieters of Belgium, England’s Matt Wallace and Calum Hill of Scotland.<\/span><\/p>\n Reed was cleared by the tour after claims on social media he had identified a ball as his own that was lodged in the wrong tree on the 17th hole.<\/span><\/p>\n A tour referee used binoculars to confirm that a ball with Reed’s specific marking was in the tree, which meant he could take a one-shot penalty drop next to the tree rather than have to take a penalty stroke and play his third from back on the tee.<\/span><\/p>\n Reed made bogey but, at four strokes behind McIlroy, the US Ryder Cup player remains a threat to the player <\/span>he was snubbed by<\/span><\/a> at the start of the week.<\/span><\/p>\n |
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