Shane Lowry has surged into the top three at the Abu Dhabi Championship after a stunning third-round 66, leaving him just three strokes behind the leader heading into the final round.
The Irish golfer, who won the event in 2019, began the day 10 shots off the lead held by England’s Paul Waring. However, Lowry’s blistering front nine put him right back in contention. A highlight of his round came on the par-5 second hole, where he drained an impressive 36-foot eagle putt. He followed that with four birdies, at the fourth, fifth, seventh, and ninth holes, showcasing remarkable iron play and solid putting throughout the stretch.
Despite his strong start, Lowry’s momentum slowed on the back nine as he missed several birdie opportunities at the 12th, 14th, and 16th holes. He also dropped his first stroke of the round at the par-3 17th after missing the green left. However, Lowry ended his round on a high note, sinking a 24-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish the day at 15 under par.
“I’m happy with my score,” Lowry said after his round. “It doesn’t seem like the leaders are going that far away. I think I’ll be within touching distance going into tomorrow, and if I can fire a low one tomorrow, I can be there or thereabouts.”
Lowry’s performance on Saturday saw him join Tommy Fleetwood, Sebastian Soderberg, and Thorbjorn Olesen in a four-way tie for third place. The group sits just three strokes behind Waring, who maintains the lead heading into the final round.
Fleetwood, a two-time champion at the Abu Dhabi Championship, is also within striking distance. He won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 at the former venue, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, before the tournament moved to its current home at Yas Links in 2022.
With a strong final round, Lowry could challenge for his second Abu Dhabi Championship title, and the stage is set for an exciting conclusion to this year’s event.
