SHANE LOWRY’S BLISTERING start to 2019 continued on the third day of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with a five-under-par 67 taking him three shots clear of closest challenger Richard Sterne.
Lowry began the day with a one-shot lead over Louis Oosthuizen, and built on it with a third round featuring seven birdies in all.
A bogey on the fourth hole undid a birdie on the par-five second early in his round, but three consecutive birdies on holes six, seven and eight propelled Lowry into a four-shot lead at the turn. From there he birdied 12, 15 and 18, with a bogey on 16 his only back nine-blemish.
South African Sterne is three shots off Lowry, having shot a three-under-par 69, with Ian Poulter a further shot back in third place having clambered up the rankings with an eagle on the final hole.
Oosthuizen’s challenge wilted with a three-over-par 75, leaving him eight shots off the lead in a tie for 12th place.
The only other Irish contender, Paul Dunne, missed the cut yesterday with successive 73s across the first two days.
- Originally published at 13.30
Ahead of the final weekend of European pool games, Murray Kinsella, Andy Dunne and Gavan Casey look at what each of the provinces can expect, and who impressed last weekend:
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