If Rory McIlroy ends up missing out on the Race to Dubai title, he will no doubt look back with regret at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
McIlroy has been impressive thus far at Yas Links, and the Northern Irishman’s swing changes appear to be paying off.
The four-time major winner is currently five shots back of leader Paul Waring, but his 13-under total doesn’t tell the whole story.
During Friday’s second round, McIlroy was seven under for the day before he carded a disastrous triple-bogey six on the par-three 17th.
Fast-forward 24 hours, and McIlroy is five under for the day, standing on the 18th tee. The Northern Irishman would go on to find the water with his tee shot and eventually make a seven on the mammoth par-five finishing hole.
Despite the errors, McIlroy believes he still has a chance, having made up ground on the leaders.
Rory McIlroy discusses chances of winning Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
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Speaking to Sky Sports, McIlroy was bullish about his chances of catching down leader Paul Waring.
“Absolutely. I made a bogey on one today and doubled the last, but in between that, there was some really good golf, same as yesterday. I need to put it all together, play the way I’ve been playing and then keep the big mistakes and numbers off my card,” McIlroy explained.
“If I can do that and post a score, you never know.”
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Rory McIlroy still in touch with leaders
Despite a disappointing end to his round, McIlroy is still in touch with the leaders heading into the final round.
Englishman Waring is the pacesetter at 18 under, although a stacked leaderboard has emerged just below the 39-year-old Englishman.
| Rory McIlroy Stats Round Three | HSBC Championship Average | Rory McIlroy HSBC Championship rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving Acc(%) | 57.1 | 73.9 | 59 |
| Driving (Yds) | 336 | 313.4 | 5 |
| GIR (%) | 77.8 | 77.7 | 26 |
| Putts AVG | 32 | 30.3 | 50 |
| Putts Per GIR | 1.9 | 1.8 | 50 |
| Score | 69 | 69 | 24 |
| Scrambles (%) | 50 | 60.9 | 34 |
Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry and Niklas Norgaard are just a few of the red-hot players eyeing the HSBC Championship title.
Realistically, McIlroy will have to go eight or nine under on Sunday to give himself a genuine chance of victory, provided the course plays slightly trickier during the last day’s play.
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