Open Champion Henrik Stenson virtually only has to fall over the line to win a second Race to Dubai title in four years.
The Swede heads into the final day of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship sharing 22nd place after a third round 70 for a five-under par tally on the Jumierah Golf Estates course.
The smile of the likely 2016 Race to Dubai champion – Henrik Stenson. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)
Stenson trails eight shots behind Frenchman Victor Dubuisson who holed his second shot for an eagle ‘2’ at the fifth and also birdied four of his closing five holes is a sizzling eight under par 64 to lead by a shot at 13-under par.
Three players – Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts, who had two eagles in a 66 along with the England pair of Tyrrell Hatton (67) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (66), and who each also grabbed an eagle – share second place on 12-under par.
Alex Noren, and lying third on the R2D points table, finished eagle, birdie, bogey and par in a 69 to be sharing 13th place at seven under par.
Masters Champion Danny Willett, and Stenson’s nearest R2D challenger clearly ruled himself out of winning the money list title buckling under a 76 to drop to a share of 51st place at one over par in the 60-player field.
For a second year running Willett has led the R2D for much of the season only to see someone swoop past him with the victory tape in sight.
In fact, Willett went to the front this season in capturing the Masters and led the ‘Race’ right up until the recent WGC – HSBC Champions.
“You’re clearly doing a lot right if you’re in contention for most of the season but I do want to finish as Europe’s No. 1 at least once during my career,” said Willett.
Stenson’s only real fear is the red-hot Noren with the four-time winner this year needing to win a fifth event in 12 starts and have Stenson finish third of worse.
Also if Noren claims second place, Stenson needs to finish inside the top-eight to deny Noren.
Stenson said: “I didn’t’ get off to a great start as I was 3-over par after 10 but I came back quite nicely to finish with five birdies in the last six holes.
“As for the Race to Dubai title I’ve just got to go out and try to play a solid round tomorrow.
“I know if Alex (Noren) finishes second on his own, I’ve got to be inside the top eight, so that’s kind of the scenario that I’m trying to achieve.”
And Rory McIlroy’s hopes of regaining the No. 1 World Ranking faded with a second straight 68 to be tied with Stenson and four others at five-under par, and knowing he needed to win this week to unseat Aussie Jason Day atop of the rankings.
“It was just one of those days were I manged to turn a 62 into a 68,” he said.
