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Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Shane Lowry, Francesco Molinari and Min Woo Lee share lead | Golf News


Shane Lowry, Francesco Molinari and Min Woo Lee are tied on 13 under after three rounds of the Rolex Series event, with Padraig Harrington within two of the lead – watch the final round live on Sunday from 5am on Sky Sports Golf

Last Updated: 21/01/23 2:24pm

Can Shane Lowry win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for a second time?

Can Shane Lowry win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for a second time?

Shane Lowry and Francesco Molinari are part of a three-way tie for the lead heading into the final round of the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Lowry and Min Woo Lee both posted third-round 66s at the Yas Links Abu Dhabi to head into the final day on 13 under alongside Molinari, who carded a three-under 69 to retain his overnight advantage.

Scotland’s Grant Forrest is a shot back in tied-fourth with Sebastian Soderberg and Victor Perez, while Padraig Harrington bolstered his hopes of becoming the oldest winner in DP World Tour history after a round-of-the-day 64.

Padraig Harrington registered eight birdies during his third round

Padraig Harrington registered eight birdies during his third round

Harrington is two off the pace alongside Antoine Rozner, Adrian Meronk and halfway co-leader Guido Migliozzi, with a congested leaderboard leaving 15 players within three strokes of the lead heading into what should be a thrilling final day of the Rolex Series event.

Super Sunday ahead in Abu Dhabi

Lowry was three off the halfway lead but quickly jumped into contention when he took advantage of the par-five second, holed out from 155 yards for eagle at the par-four sixth and then birdied two of his next three holes to turn in 31.

The Irishman missed a close-range birdie look at the 14th but holed from 35 feet at the next to briefly grab the solo lead, with Lowry cancelling out a failed bunker save and bogey at the 17th by picking up a shot at the par-five last.

“Tomorrow I’ve got a chance to go out there and do something special,” Lowry said. “Hopefully I can bring the game that I brought the last few days and roll a few putts in as well.”

Can Shane Lowry win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for a second time?

Can Shane Lowry win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for a second time?

Lee mixed seven birdies with a lone bogey to also join Lowry in a share of the lead, while Molinari – chasing a first worldwide win since March 2019 – was a shot back for the majority of the back nine until he ended a run of pars with a closing birdie.

Forrest birdied four of his last eight holes and will go out in the penultimate group after a seven-under 65, with Soderberg also one back despite his third-round 66, including a triple-bogey at the par-three eighth.

Sebastian Soderberg is looking to win a DP World Tour title for a second time

Sebastian Soderberg is looking to win a DP World Tour title for a second time

Harrington made the biggest move of the day, with a chip-in birdie at the sixth followed by the three-time major champion holing from 25 feet at the 11th for the first of six consecutive birdies.

“It would mean an awful lot to me to become the oldest winner,” Harrington said. “If I went and won right now, I actually think it would mean something totally different. It would mean that I am actually competitive.

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“If I go and win out of the blue somewhere and steal a win then that’s nice, I can put it down on my CV as the oldest winner, but if I come into tournaments talking a big game and deliver then that means I’m a player again with the young guys.”

Ryder Cup hopeful Alex Noren is within three of the lead and in the group that contains Richard Bland, who is among the LIV members in action, while defending champion Tyrrell Hatton is in tied-33rd and on six under after a one-under 71.

Who will win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship? Watch Featured Groups on Sunday from 5am on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 7am.





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