Rory McIlroy publicly places little stock in two previous wins at the Dubai Desert Classic but one can be certain the rest of those vying for the famous trophy are well aware of his record at the Emirates Club. Should he prevail here, McIlroy would join Ernie Els as a three-times Desert Classic champion.
“I live in Ernie’s old house in Florida,” said McIlroy. “It would be nice to do something else sort of intertwined with him.”
McIlroy’s 69 – one stroke more than the best round in an 81-strong third-round field – puts him in the final group in his second start of 2022. Justin Harding produced his highest score of the week, 71, but still leads McIlroy’s 10 under par by two. Tommy Fleetwood and Erik van Rooyen are firmly part of this equation at minus nine. Yet given his status and previous glories, all eyes are fixed on McIlroy.
“I’m excited,” said McIlroy. “I had a really good chance in 2018 here and let it slip through my fingers. It is good to give myself another opportunity.”
So what of course and distance specialism? “It’s a new tournament, it’s a new year,” McIlroy said. “It’s basically a new course. You just go out there and try to play your best. The only thing is more experience and being in these positions before. Winning around here twice is nice but I don’t think it gives me any sort of advantage.”
Plenty will disagree. The hype around McIlroy, especially with another Masters tilt on the horizon, will intensify should be complete the three-timer. Having played the front nine in 34, one under, McIlroy’s day was kickstarted by an eagle three at the 10th. He converted a putt from 16ft there. In increasingly testing conditions, with the greens particularly slick, McIlroy was on course for a 70 before reaching the 18th green in two and making a two-putt for birdie appear blissfully straightforward. “There has definitely been progress,” he said of his week.
This would easily be the biggest triumph of Harding’s career. It is only slightly unfair to point out his main claim to fame is dating a former winner of The Apprentice. Not that the South African is any mug; he has produced four bogeys in 54 holes. He also has little to lose on day four.
“I’ve just got to go out and keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “Make a couple of birdies and shoot 70, 69, something like that, and make them shoot five or six under par, then credit to them. Just another day at the office.”
Fleetwood’s return to prominence after a prolonged period of mediocrity has been widely welcomed. He added a 69 to rounds of 67 and 71. “I’m so excited about playing tomorrow, getting the juices flowing on a Sunday and seeing how my game goes,” he said.
“I would love to be competing down that back stretch and who knows, it might be my week, might not be but I am excited about where my game is heading. You’re always looking for affirmations to say that what you’re doing is right, don’t sort of miss them as they come along, and I think today showed that.”
Paul Casey is eight under; it would be better but for a missed putt from 3ft at the last. “I’m not going to be hard on myself,” said the defending champion. “It is a very, very difficult course.”
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Henrik Stenson, meanwhile, has offered the strongest indication yet that he wants to captain Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup. The Swede’s situation is complicated by a continual link with a breakaway, Saudi-backed tour but he appears willing to prioritise the Ryder Cup. “I would prefer to leave that answer for the person who would ask the question but, yes, I am very much still interested,” he said.
“I have a little bit of a rough idea what is involved. I have asked Thomas [Bjørn] about it, I have asked Pádraig [Harrington]. I asked Monty [Colin Montgomerie] when we played together this week.”
