Robert MacIntyre described his third round 67 as “eventful” with a large degree of understatement but the Scot is still poised at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic just one off the lead going into Sunday.
The Oban lefty had a long chip-in for eagle, a double-bogey at the fifth which could have been a lot worse, holed a monster putt across the seventh green and holed a tricky putt for birdie from the greenside fringe at 17.
That was all good for a five-under 67 and a 14-under total. The only thing keeping him off the lead was Paul Casey’s eagle at 18, which completed a 64 that leapfrogged the Ryder Cup star into the lead at 15-under.
Top trio move well ahead
BOBBY DAZZLER…. 🤩💫
It's another strong day @OMEGAGolfDubai Desert Classic from @robert1lefty with a brilliant 3rd day 67 (-5) 🏋🏽♂️👏🏽👏🏽
He lies 2nd on -14 total, one off the lead and sets up a fantastic @EuropeanTour Sunday @EmiratesGC 👀😍
⛳🇦🇪🏌🏼♂️😎 pic.twitter.com/NEGqHXaZ8K
— Bounce (@bouncespmgt) January 30, 2021
South Africa’s Brandon Stone, the former Scottish Open champion, is third on 13-under. You have to think the winner is coming from the lead trio with Sergio Garcia and Laurie Canter three shots further back sharing fourth.
MacIntyre had a fairly mental stretch over the first nine but finished it at two-under, and was far steadier coming home for his 67.
“Eventful,” he said. “I played great golf, controlled my golf ball I think as good as I have all week.
“I was patient, and committed to every shot. That’s something I struggled with last year. But this year, it’s been drilled into me by many people, just accept what comes.
“Control what you can control. And it’s working well.”
‘Same as always: go for it’
And on Sunday there’s going to be “no hanging about”, he promised.
“It’ll be same as always: go for it,” he said. “I’m not going to hang about. I’m going to put it all on the line whether it’s good or bad.
“Hopefully it’s going to be good and I’ve just got to enjoy it again. It’s another experience that I want to get. It’s something that not many people get the chance at my age to do, and I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”
His confidence is as high as it’s ever been, he added.
“Driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, new clubs in the bag, they have been absolutely brilliant,” he said. “I really am striking my irons as well as I struck them late last year.
“There’s still a long way to go, 18 holes. I’m just focused on the tee shot off the first tomorrow.”
Pinballing second shot
Chip-in eagle for @robert1lefty!#ODDC pic.twitter.com/af6jg70ndf
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) January 30, 2021
MacIntyre leapt into the lead with the long chip in from off the back of the third green for eagle, but he gave that stroke and the birdie at the second back quickly.
And the 24-year-old was maybe lucky to escape the fifth with just a double-bogey. His second shot pinballed around at the pond in front of the green, finally falling where he got a free drop. A three-putt cost him a six anyway.
Yet he had those two strokes back in his pocket on the next two holes, a huge putt across the short seventh getting him back to two-under for the day.
Solid two-putt birdies at par fives followed. At 17 he was a little long with his first chip but superbly made the ten-foot putt from the fringe grass for his birdie.
A rare wayward drive at 18 left MacIntyre hacking out of the long grass and settling for a par five.
Casey’s ‘perfect’ finish
Paul Casey will take a one-shot lead going into the final round at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.#ODDC pic.twitter.com/Qr0rmdz8pj
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) January 30, 2021
Casey had “the perfect club” – a 3-iron – for his second at 18 which produced the eagle to lead.
“It’s a glorious finish,” he said. “I said on the fairway there, that was a cool-looking shot when Monty hit a driver off the deck without the skyline there is now, and it might be cooler these days.
“It’s one of the iconic shots in golf, isn’t it? To have a perfect 3-iron in there and finish off with an eagle is pretty cool.”
What a finish @Paul_Casey 👏
Ties the lowest round of the week.#ODDC pic.twitter.com/WqboFjgup4
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) January 30, 2021
Casey wouldn’t call his 64 flawless, but he felt in complete control.
“You can never say flawless, can you, because there’s always errors, but it was very controlled,” he said.
“Really enjoyable round of golf; challenging yet at the same time with a little bit of wind here and there.”
Scott Jamieson moved into the top 10 with a four-under 68, finishing with a birdie for seven-under. Grant Forrest also moved forward with a one-under 71, to stand at two-under.
