Henrik Stenson of Sweden shakes hands with his caddie Gareth Lord on the 18th hole during the second round of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, yesterday.
DUBAI: Henrik Stenson had four birdies in the last five holes to stay ahead after three rounds of the $8m DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Saturday, but the Swede was feeling the heat from in-form Frenchman Victor Dubuisson.
At the Earth course of Jumeirah Golf Estates, Stenson closed with a five-under par 67 for a three-day tally of 17-under par 199, but that was good enough for just a one-shot lead over the 23-year-old Dubuisson, clearly enjoying the form of his life.
The winner of last week’s Turkish Airlines Open played an astonishing round of eight-under par 64. He made as many as 11 birdies during the round, after opening with a bogey on the first, and then making a double bogey on the 10th. As far as winning the Race to Dubai is concerned, Dubuisson has a chance for that, but he will have to win today and then hope Stenson fades away to tied 31st or worse.
Stenson’s closest rival in becoming the new European number one was England’s Ian Poulter, who shot a round of six-under par 66 and was tied third alongside Spaniard Alezandro Canizares (70) at 13-under par 203. The other two in contention for the top spot - England’s Justin Rose and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell - both shot rounds of four-under par 68, but lost further ground to Stenson. Rose was tied sixth at 11-under par, while McDowell was at eight-under par. Defending champion and former world number one Rory McIlroy, who said after the second round that he possibly needed two 65s to win the trophy again, could only get a 67 and was seven shots behind Stenson at 10-under par 206. AFP
