SHANE LOWRY’S DRIVE for back-to-back wins has faded at the Dubai Desert Classic, despite the Offaly man’s strong finish in the third round.
Lowry was just four shots off the lead heading into the weekend, but that gap has widened after he carded a one-under 71 on Saturday.
After hitting four bogeys and just one birdie, Lowry mounted a superb finish by sinking two birdies and an eagle in the last three holes to salvage his round.
But it wasn’t enough to keep him in touch with America leader Bryson DeChambeau who carded a four-under 68 to put him seven shots ahead of Lowry.
Lowry made a brilliant start to 2019 by claiming the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship last weekend, but he has a big mountain to climb heading into the final round in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Li Haotong strengthened his bid for a second successive title at Emirates Golf Club.
Haotong’s five-under 67, which featured seven birdies, represented the best score of the leading contenders on Saturday and lifted the defending champion into second place at 15 under.
DeChambeau followed up two successive 66s with a 68 to be one shot better off, the American improving significantly on a level-par front nine with four birdies on his way home.
Ernie Els’ hopes of claiming a fourth title in Dubai, 25 years after his first success, faded as a two-under 70 left the veteran South African three off the pace alongside Matt Wallace (69).
Els birdied the third and 18th but parred every other hole.
Another former champion, 2011 winner Alvaro Quiros, was firmly in contention with one to play after mixing six birdies with three dropped shots. However, the Spaniard then ran up a triple-bogey seven at the last to fall back into a tie for fifth at 12 under.
Lucas Herbert, who shared the 36-hole lead with DeChambeau, was also four off the pace after a topsy-turvy 72 featuring six birdies, four bogeys and a double. The Australian’s card included every number from a two to a seven.
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Additional reporting by Sinéad Farrell
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