DP World Tour Championship - Day three digest

Tyrrell Hatton led the tournament while the battle for the Harry Vardon Trophy went down to the wire after Moving Day at the 2026 DP World Tour Championship.

Here is everything you need to know from Saturday's play in Dubai.

Chacarra out to spoil Rory's record bid

Rory McIlroy is bidding to finish top of the Race to Dubai Rankings delivered by DP World for the eighth time, equalling the record held by Colin Montgomerie, and lies fourth going into Sunday's final round. Alongside him on five under, though, is the pre-tournament ranking leader Eugenio Chacarra who is in no mood to loosen his grip on top spot. The Spaniard poured in three late birdies after visibly taking encouragement from McIlroy's dropped shots around the turn and though he described it as "an extra bonus" in his impressive season, he added: “I've been fighting all year and I really want to win that ranking. I know if I win the tournament, I win the ranking, that's what I wanted to do in Abu Dhabi and I didn't make it, and I wanted to do it here."

Rory's moment of magic

McIlroy had recorded 18 successive rounds of par or better at this event before Saturday, but that sequence was in danger as he headed down the last one over for the day. A stunning approach shot gave him an eagle chance and though that first putt slipped by, the second ensured a 72 and kept his record intact.

Hatton rides the roller coaster

"Can't get it close... unless he gets seriously lucky." While there was a puff of dust from the edge of the bunker in front of the green, let's not underestimate the brilliance of Tyrrell Hatton's approach to set up an eagle at the second. While much of the focus is on Chacarra and McIlroy's battle, Hatton has a big Sunday of his own in store as he tees off one shot ahead of France's Victor Perez.

Scores to be had

Sunday's scoring average for the field was 70.70, down from 73.34 on Friday - the difference between over par and under par for the average finisher. The par-five 18th witnessed 22 birdies and an eagle, courtesy of Ewen Ferguson's 23-foot putt, against just one bogey as Francesco Laporta found the creek which winds through the fairway.

Bradbury's big finish

Dan Bradbury did more than anyone to lower that scoring average with a 66, the best round of the week so far. The Englishman birdied each of the last five holes to move from over par for the tournament to a share of eighth place on four under, one shot behind McIlroy and Chacarra.

Spirit of Seve

Chacarra channelled compatriot Seve Ballesteros with this escape from pine straw at the tenth ahead of his run on the back nine.