Jon Rahm shoots 66 to lead by one in Abu Dhabi after three rounds. Rory McIlroy 2 shots back

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Jon Rahm will take a one-shot lead into the final day of the Abu Dhabi Championship after shooting 6-under 66 in the third round Saturday.

Rory McIlroy had shared the lead with the Spaniard but made bogey at the par-3 No. 17 to drop into fourth place on a 34 Celsius (94 F) day at Yas Links.

McIlroy’s 67 included a double-bogey six at No. 10. That blemish broke up a sequence of seven birdies between Nos. 7 and 14.

The two shots McIlroy now trails by also equals the penalty he took Thursday for improving his lie at the 12th, where a double-bogey six instead became an eight.

“I have a good shot at it (Sunday), which is all I want,” McIlroy said, acknowledging he was “a little rueful” at chances missed. “I’m going to have to go out and shoot a low one, something in the mid to low 60s to get it done.”

Rahm’s 18-under total of 198 was one ahead of his playing partners Saturday, Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta who each carded a 67. McIlroy was two shots back.

Adam Scott continued his bogey-free tournament with a 66 to be 15 under in fifth place, one shot behind McIlroy.

That left three Masters winners in the top five on the leaderboard, with Rahm (2023 edition), McIlroy (2025, 2026) and Scott (2013).

The two-week playoffs on the European tour saw 70 players enter the $9 million Abu Dhabi Championship before 50 top-ranked players advance to the $10 million finals event next week in Dubai.

McIlroy is currently projected to rise to No. 2 in the Road to Dubai rankings behind Eugenio Chacarra who fired a 5-under 67 on Saturday. Chacarra is tied for 29th place on 8 under overall.

The Northern Irishman seeks a fifth straight tour rankings title and an eighth in his career, which would tie the record of Colin Montgomerie.

___

See AP’s full golf coverage here