Jon Rahm surges into third-round lead in Abu Dhabi

Jon Rahm produced a roaring back nine to surge into a one-shot lead at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

The two-time Major Champion went out in the final group after sharing the lead with Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta and despite a slow start to his third round, he burst into life after the turn.

Rahm went birdie-eagle-birdie from the tenth which catapulted him to the top in his brilliant 66 as he kept his playing partners at arm's length at 18 under.

He has five Rolex Series stars to his name and will hope to get his name on the trophy at Yas Links to move one ahead of good friend and rival Hatton.

Laporta and Hatton will once again play with Rahm in the final group on Sunday, with the pair one shot behind and Rory McIlroy in solo fourth at 16 under.

Nothing could separate the final group heading into Moving Day and two of the trio opened up with a birdie as Hatton and Laporta nudged ahead at 13 under.

The Italian added another at the next for the solo lead before Hatton produced a miraculous approach from the rough to join Laporta at the top.

Laporta was not fazed and had a tap-in birdie at the fourth after nearly acing the par-three hole to regain the lead.

Hatton showcase his brilliant iron play to record his third birdie of the day at the sixth, climbing back up to the summit alongside Laporta at 15 under.

They were soon joined by Matthew Jordan. The Englishman started his third round with a birdie and picked up further shots at the third, sixth and seventh for a three-way tie at the top.

Jordan and Hatton both bogeyed the eighth to leave Laporta in the solo lead, but only for a few moments as McIlroy made his move.

The World Number Two birdied the second and after four straight pars, he finished the front nine with a hat-trick of gains to reach 15 under.

Laporta nudged back ahead with a birdie at the tenth, the same hole McIlroy double-bogeyed after getting in trouble when shooting over the green.

Rahm was motoring on the back nine with a birdie at the tenth but when he drained his eagle putt from 24 feet at the next, he was joint leader alongside Laporta.

The Spaniard took the solo lead with another birdie at the 12th to take the outright lead at 17 under, but he was soon joined by two Ryder Cup team-mates.

McIlroy stormed back from his blip to rattle off four straight birdies from the 11th, which included a magical drive to find the par-four 14th, to join Rahm at the summit.

Hatton was quietly going about his business at Yas Links and his third birdie in four holes at the 14th saw the leadership group increase to three.

Rahm moved ahead on his own with a gain at the 15th and McIlroy slipped two behind after failing to find the green with his bunker shot at the par-three 17th.

Laporta remained in the hunt with a birdie at the 16th to move alongside Hatton at 17 under before the trio parred their way home.

McIlroy parred the last to card a five-under 67, while Adam Scott, who is yet to drop a shot at Yas Links, is at 15 under after six birdies in his third round .

Spain's David Puig mixed six birdies and two dropped shots to sit one stroke further back with Jordan also at 14 under.