DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Rory McIlroy had a day to forget at the season-ending World Tour Championship on Saturday, ending four shots off the lead and seeing Race to Dubai rival Eugenio Chacarra haul himself back into contention.
Tyrrell Hatton held the lead at the end of the third round after shooting 4-under 68 to move to 9 under overall, one stroke ahead of Victor Perez (67).
As well as attempting to win the World Tour Championship for a fourth time (after 2012, '15 and '24), McIlroy is seeking to move past Chacarra in the points list to secure the year-long Race to Dubai title, which crowns the No. 1 player on the European tour.
World No. 2 McIlroy started the day with a share of the 36-hole lead with Hatton. The Northern Irishman had an eagle on the par-5 No. 7 before four bogeys in an even par 72, dropping to 5 under overall and a four-way tie for fourth place, including current Race to Dubai leader Chacarra (68).
Chacarra — a 26-year-old Spaniard in his first full season on the tour — leads McIlroy in the Race to Dubai standings by nearly 534 points. On offer this week is 2,000 points for the winner, 1,335 for second place, 752 for third place, then fewer and fewer for the minor places.
McIlroy is chasing a record-tying eighth Race to Dubai title for his career alongside Colin Montgomerie, who won the award when it was called the “Order of Merit.”
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