Shane Lowry ties the lead while Pádraig Harrington fired into contention on a stunning day for the Irish challenge at the Abu Dhabi Championship in Yas Island.
Lowry, who kickstarted a memorable year with victory in this event in 2019, once again shares the lead heading into Sunday, sitting on 13-under alongside Australia's Min Woo Lee and Francesco Molinari.
Beginning the day on seven-under, Lowry's run was turbo-charged when he holed out for an eagle from 155 yards at the par-4 6th. Having already birdied the 2nd, he added a couple more on 7 and 9 to reach the turn in 31.
What a shot @ShaneLowryGolf!
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 21, 2023
A hole-out eagle at the second hardest hole of the day. #ADGolfChamps | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/oW21iDU5HN
Having jumped to the top of the leaderboard, Lowry held steady on the back nine, though the birdies dried up, the 2019 Open champion missing a sitter on the 14th. However, he blew a near 'gimme' opportunity, Lowry proceeded to roll in a long putt for birdie at 15.
His only dropped stroke would arrive after finding the bunker at the back of the green at the par-3 17th. Fuming after his tee shot after the par-5 18th, Lowry narrowly avoided a bunker but was forced to lay up from the adjacent rough. From 186 yards, Lowry jammed a superb iron shot into 6ft, sinking the putt to wind up on 13-under after a 66.
The 51-year old Harrington, who last won on the Tour at the 2016 Portugal Masters, caught fire on the back nine, rattling in six birdies on the trot between 11 and 16 to briefly jump into a tie for the lead.
Posting rounds of 68 and 73 over the opening two days, Harrington began in steady fashion, reaching the par-5 2nd hole in two blows, two-putting for birdie. He then chipped in for birdie on the 6th, having found the rough with his approach.
Never in doubt @padraig_h 😎#ADGolfChamps | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/cS21pqsfmb
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 21, 2023
Reaching the turn in 34, Harrington embarked on his surge. A 27ft putt for birdie on the par-5 11th started the fun, with further birdies arriving on the 12th and short 13th hole.
A stunning approach set up a tap-in birdie at 14, before draining 6ft and 9ft birdies to complete the run. A fine approach gave him another opportunity at 17 but the putt slipped by.
It was a quieter day for Seamus Power, though the Waterford man posted a tidy 70 to lie six strokes off the lead in a tie for 26th.
After a messy 73 on Friday, Power carded a blemish free round, though largely failed to avail of the opportunities out there, having to settle for two birdies, on the 5th and the par-5 11th.
Joining Lowry at the top of the leaderboard is Min Woo Lee, who, like the Irishman, posted a 66 on Saturday, rolling in four birdies on the inward nine to finish on 13-under.
It was a less spectacular round for 2018 Open champion Molinari, the overnight leader carding a 69 to make it a three-way tie heading into Sunday.
The Italian began brightly with birdies on 2 and 3, though was rocked by a bogey on the 5th. It was uneventful from there, with a further birdie arriving at the 10th before a concluding birdie on the par-5 18th.
Three players sit one stroke back on 12-under, Victor Perez, Sweden's Sebastian Soderbergh and Grant Forrest, the Scot carding a 65, which included seven birdies, an eagle and two bogeys.
Friday's co-leader Guido Miglozzi posted a 71 to join the group on 11-under, along with Irish Open champion Adrian Meronk, Antoine Rozner and Harrington.
For Harrington, now placed in seventh place, he wasn't even counting his birdie streak on the back nine.
The Dubliner, who is seeking to become the oldest ever winner of the DP World Tour, partially credited his longevity to coming of age in the post-Tiger golf boom and being able to avail of full-time physios.
"When good things are happening to you on the golf course it's a lot easier to be patient and wait for your run," the three-time major winner told Sky Sports after his round.
"I didn't even know that I made six birdies on the back nine. It's just nice.
"The game has changed and will be changing forward. I would have been one of the first guys who started in the era of Tiger's big money to have a full-time physio and a full-time trainer.
"I would have looked after myself all the time. Just a different lifestyle and I think there's a lot of players who will get to 50 years of age fitter and stronger.
"The biggest problem is burnout. I was burnt out five years ago. I'm out here because I've nothing else to do.
"I've figured out that this is what I like doing and I'm good at it. There's no point trying to do something else that I'll have never be as good at as I am at golf.
"So why not find a way of loving golf again. It did help me a lot on the Champions Tour but even before then I realised I needed to change my golfing personality.
"I was in contention a lot last year and I feel comfortable in having a chance and taking on the shots."
