There will be no breach of the Trades Descriptions Act as the Race to Dubai hurtles towards its conclusion. A delicately poised DP World Tour Championship perfectly reflects the European Tour’s order of merit with just 18 holes of the season remaining.

Saturday belonged to Jon Rahm, who not only reeled in the previously untouchable Mike Lorenzo-Vera at the summit of the leaderboard but found himself at the top of the Race to Dubai projections as a consequence. Rahm would become only the second Spaniard – after the late, great Seve Ballesteros – to be crowned Europe’s No 1 should he see off all chasers in round four.

Tommy Fleetwood hot on heels of Mike Lorenzo-Vera in Dubai Read more

“It gives me goosebumps to think about that,” Rahm said. “I’ve said it many times, as a Spanish player, as a Spaniard, any time you have the chance to put your name on a list where there’s only one name and that name is Seve, it’s pretty impactful. It’s really emotional for all of us.

“To think not even Sergio [García] or Miguel Ángel [Jiménez] or Ollie [José María Olazábal] or many other great players could get it done? It’s hard to believe that I have the chance to be the second.”

He has a chance all right. On an afternoon which was long dominated by Rory McIlroy, Rahm played the inward half in 32 before signing for his second 66 of the week. Lorenzo-Vera’s bogey at the last ensured a tie with Rahm at 15 under par. Soon the Frenchman was making social-media waves after casually throwing in the f-word during a televised post‑round interview. “I’m French,” was his nonchalant explanation for the accidental profanity.

“Maybe tomorrow you shoot six under and then you put your family out of any trouble for the rest of your life,” said Lorenzo‑Vera, who has never won on the European Tour. “So of course it’s going to add some pressure. But you don’t control anything except your mind. That’s the only thing you can control tomorrow, so I just hope for the same game plan and let’s see if golf wants to give me something.”

Tommy Fleetwood, who is also in the Race to Dubai hunt, made a 70 to lie four behind Rahm and Lorenzo‑Vera. This marks the third year in a row Fleetwood has taken to day four in Dubai with order of merit hope; he took the title in 2017. “I’m obviously used to this situation and that’s a positive,” said the Southport man. “I’ve got all the experience, so I’ve got to hit golf shots now. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

McIlroy described golf as a fickle business after his round-two score was 10 shots worse than his opening effort. He pretty much endorsed the point with a day three 65, which leaves him as a clear and obvious threat at minus 13. McIlroy was out in 31 and did not drop a single shot during his third round.

Should McIlroy prevail at the Earth Course, it would be the first time he had won a tournament at the same venue three times.

“That would be a nice box to tick,” he said. “It is nice to come back to courses that you’re familiar with all the time, and that brings its own advantages, I guess, compared to maybe some of the other guys in the field. It’s been a great year so far and this is my last event of the year. It would be wonderful going into the break to finish on a high.”

Bernd Wiesberger, who arrived in the Middle East as the Race to Dubai leader, slipped to a 73 which leaves him in a share of 24th. Shane Lowry has recovered admirably from being over par at the end of day one; subsequent rounds of 68 and 70 means the Open champion shares 11th at five under.