ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Aaron Rai will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship as he seeks a first title on the European tour in five years.
On a low-scoring day at Yas Links, Rai shot 6-under 66 in the third round Saturday to move to 20-under par for the week in the next-to-last event of the 2025 season.
Nicolai Hojgaard (65) and Tommy Fleetwood (67), the winner in 2017 and 2018 when the event was held at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, were tied for second place and Nacho Elvira (65) was a shot further back.
No. 2-ranked Rory McIlroy, the leader of the season-long Race to Dubai standings, surged toward contention with six birdies in his first 11 holes but his round stalled down the stretch as the wind picked up and he posted a 66 for 14 under, six strokes off the lead.
Rai’s second and most recent win on the European tour came in 2020 at the Scottish Open. The 30th-ranked Englishman won the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour in August last year.
“This is one of the biggest events we have on the DP World Tour,” Rai said. “To win this week, to have a chance going into the weekend, is great. Still a long way to go and a lot of really good players.”
He birdied five holes on his front nine and picked up more shots on Nos. 11 and 14 before three-putting for bogey at the 17th and parring the par-5 18th.
Likely Rai’s biggest threat is Fleetwood, whose end to the season has included winning the Tour Championship for his first PGA Tour title — and picking up $10 million as the FedEx Cup champion, too — as well as the India Championship and starring for Europe in its Ryder Cup triumph at Bethpage Black.
“I’m playing very good golf at the moment and I’ve found myself in this position a lot throughout the summer, but never take it for granted,” Fleetwood said. “This is what we practice for. These are the times of our lives, and I’m enjoying it very much.”
Fleetwood said Rai “played phenomenally well.”
“He was unbelievable today in every department,” he said.
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