Victor Dubuisson will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai after posting a superb 64 on Saturday.
An impressive burst of scoring on his back nine – including a birdie at the last – saw the Frenchman move to 13 under, one stroke clear of nearest challengers Nicolas Colsaerts, Tyrrell Hatton and Matthew Fitzpatrick.
“It’s a great score,” said the Frenchman. “It’s my best score to date. “I’ve played well, made good putts at the right time. I’m happy to be able to putt it in the hole. It’s just a course I like – it’s long. You have to carry the ball long.”
Rafa Cabrera Bello, whose third-round 63 was the lowest score of the day, was another shot back on 11 under alongside Lee Westwood and Francesco Molinari.
Swede Henrik Stenson, who tops the Race to Dubai rankings presented by Rolex, recovered from dropping three shots in his opening 10 holes to sign for a 70 and move to five under.
Danny Willett carded five bogeys and a single birdie in his 76 to fall to one over par, while Alex Noren’s three-under-par 69 took him to seven under.
Starting the day four shots behind halfway leaders Sergio Garcia and Molinari, Dubuisson fired a birdie at the long second to get to six under.
The 26 year old then holed out with a sand wedge from 99 yards for an excellent eagle at the fifth but dropped a shot at the next before finishing his front nine in style, notching back-to-back birdies at the eighth and ninth to reach the turn in 32.
Dubuisson safely parred the first four holes of his back nine before reeling off three straight birdies from the 14th to get to 12 under before he rolled in his birdie putt at the last to get to 13 under.
Dubuisson, who finished in a share of third place at last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player, gave credit to his caddie for his contribution to his upturn in form the last two weeks.
“He was a big help for me last week because he’s been caddying for a South African guy, and he knew a lot about the altitude and the difference in South Africa,” he said. “He saved me a few shots, changing my clubs, and this week he’s been great, too.”
After opening his third round with a bogey, Colsaerts recovered in style, making back-to-back gains at the second and third to get to seven under.
The big-hitting Belgian added further birdies at the fifth and sixth before rolling in his eagle putt at the seventh to take the outright lead.
Colsaerts finished his front nine with consecutive bogeys but bounced back with a birdie at the tenth.
After carding another bogey at the 14th, Colsaerts picked up a shot at the 16th before sinking his 20 foot eagle putt at the last to get to 12 under.
He said: “A grandstand finish on the last is always nice, but it’s the same scenario again: I go from shooting myself in the foot with a couple of three putts, missing short ones again, and then I play a game that’s probably nine out of ten.
“So it can be very frustrating, when you get into this position in those big tournaments, it’s kind of maybe a little easier to keep digging in and not really let it away from you.”
The final round gets underway at 8.15am
