Robert MacIntyre is headed for a golf bag full of career firsts should he capture the European No. 1 crown.
MacIntyre brilliantly burst in frame to join fellow Scot Sandy Lyle as only two players in 60-years to win the ‘Rookie of the Year’ one year and No. 1 European crown the next after a stunning DP World Tour Championship bogey-free third day 66 on the Earth course at Jumeirah Estates course in Dubai.
As well, MacIntyre would also be the first Scot in 15-years since Colin Montgomerie in 2005 to win the Race to Dubai money-list trophy.
The Oban lefty buried any lingering demons from a second round 72 to pick-up nine spots and end the day in a four-way share of fourth and only a shot behind the leading trio.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre looks to join Sandy Lyle as the only players in 6–years to win the ‘Rookie of the Year’ title and European No. 1 crown in back-to-back seasons
Texan Patrick Reed struggled forfeiting his two shot leading cushion and managing to birdie the last hole for a third day running in a 71 to move to 1-under par.
Tied with Reed atop of the £stg 6 million season-ending event is the England duo of Laurie Canter (68) and 2016 DP World winner Matthew Fitzpatrick (69).
A shot back in MacIntyre along with Spaniard Adri Arnaus (67), last week’s PGA Tour winner Viktor Hovland (66) and past double European No. 1 Lee Westwood (68).
MacIntyre turned Friday’s famine of only just one birdie in six on day three including four in six holes from the 11th to 16th holes on the Greg Norman designed course.
He said: “Yeah, played great. It’s always good to have a bogey-free run but doing it today was huge. It’s now given me an opportunity for tomorrow and then just going to enjoy myself tomorrow and see where I end up.
“The putter was there today. I was hitting it closer. The greens, I was hitting it closer, which gives you the opportunity to make birdies. I think I hit 15 greens yesterday and I was 25 foot away every time, so you’re to the giving yourself chances but today I was knocking it in close.
“I played really good again and that’s been the secret last couple of weeks, and when the putter has been good, I’ve scored well.”
It’s 15-years since Monty captured a record-setting eighth No. 1 crown in 2005 while fellow Sandy Lyle is the only European Tour player in 60-years to win the one-time only ‘Rookie of the Year’ title, and that was in 1978, and the end the following year as European No. 1 in 1979.
The inaugural Rookie of the Year was in 1960.
And when advised of the efforts of both Scots the 24-year-old MacIntyre smiled saying: “To follow in Sandy’s and Monty’s steps would mean everything.
“But I’ve got a job to do tomorrow, so I can’t look too far ahead.”
As well, MacIntyre is now at the front door of a first Masters invitation should he finish third in the DP World, an effort that would see him move from 59th on the World Rankings and into a likely 48th position in the last major ranking week of the year.
He said: “An invitation to the Masters would be a great end to my year and that’s what I have also been working towards.
I feel very comfortable about my game, my mind and all aspects. I’ve got to work on a few things but it’s the same stuff I’ve been working on for the last three years with Davey (Burns – coach), so nothing changes.
“I know what I’ve got to do tomorrow and it’s just about letting it happen.”
Glaswegian Marc Warren was clearly pretty chuffed to birdie four of his opening seven holes to record his lowest score of the week, a four-under par 68 to move to four-under par and just inside the top-20.
He said: “I wasn’t great off the tee, but managed to make up for poor tee shots with some good iron shots.
“I played with Joost Luiten today and also played with him in the third round when I won in Austria. If you’d told me then that we’d be back out in the third round in the Race to Dubai final, it would have been total dreamland.
“It’s been a massive turnaround, especially after not being close to being here the last few years. To qualify and so far, put in a solid performance is massive for confidence moving forward.”
Scott Jamieson posted a 74 and Connor Syme a 72 to be at two-over par while Haddington’s Grant Forrest shares the cellar spot in the 64-player field in recording a 75 for an eight-over par total.
Exactly a week ago, Forrest produced a career low 64 for a Tour best sixth on the neighbouring Fire course.
