Rai Holds One-Shot Lead Over Hojgaard and Fleetwood in Abu Dhabi Final Round

Aaron Rai will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship as he seeks a first title on the European tour in five years. On a low-scoring day at Yas Links, Rai shot 6-under 66 in the third round Saturday to move to 20-under par for the week, placing him in the lead. Nicolai Hojgaard and Tommy Fleetwood are hot on his trail, tied for second place after shooting 65 and 67 respectively. Nacho Elvira is just one shot behind the chasing pack after his impressive round of 65. Rory McIlroy, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, stormed up the leaderboard with six birdies in his first 11 holes, finishing the day on 14 under, six shots off the lead. Rai’s last European Tour victory was in 2020 at the Scottish Open. The 30th-ranked Englishman also claimed the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour in August last year. As the tournament heads into the final round, the competition is intense, with Rai, Hojgaard, Fleetwood, and Elvira all within striking distance of claiming the title.