Irish hopes fade as Reed moves four clear in Dubai

Patrick reed in action in the third round in Dubai. Picture: Getty Images

Hopes of an Irish victory evaporated in the desert air as Patrick Reed extended his lead to four strokes heading into the final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

The former Masters champion fired a five under 67 to lead on 14-under par from fellow LIV Golf star David Puig (66) of Spain and by five from England’s Andy Sullivan (71) and Norway’s Viktor Hovland (65) as Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin shot 71s and Shane Lowry a two-over 74 to fade from contention.

“You're always excited showing up on Sunday with a lead," said Reed, whose most recent win came in the Hong Kong Open 14 months ago.

"It's what we live for as players, and as competitors, is to have a chance on Sundays, and play late on Sundays, and battle it out with the guys”

"I know it's not going to be easy, it never is, it doesn't matter how big of a lead you have.

“But I can't wait for it and looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully go out there, keep doing what I'm doing, plugging along, hitting fairways and making some greens."

Italians Andrea Pavan and Francesco Molinari share fourth place on eight under after matching 71s, leaving Puig as Reed’s nearest challenger.

"It was a great day from start to finish," the Spaniard said after finishing with back-to-back birdies.

"Still a little behind, but it's going really well. Hopefully, tomorrow we have a good chance."

McIlroy was hoping to make a third-round charge in his bid for a fifth win at the Emirates Golf Club.

But he was stuck in neutral for most of the day, and while he followed nine pars with birdies at the 10th and 14th, a three-putt bogey at the 18th meant he had 34 putts in the firm and speedy Dubai greens.

The Masters champion goes into the final round tied for 27th on four under, ten shots behind Reed and one adrift of LIV star McKibbin, who rallied after a double bogey at the ninth with three back-nine birdies for a 71 that left him joint 19th on four under.

Lowry followed three-putt bogeys at the sixth and eighth with his lone birdie of the day at the ninth.

But after making eight pars coming home, the Offaly man went for the 18th in two and took six after finding water with his 226-yard approach.

Hovland could be a threat on Sunday after carding a bogey-free 65 to move into contention.

“I know I played a wonderful round of golf today,” he said. “Certainly no complaints about a bogey-free 65 out here.

“This place is no joke. Still doesn't feel like I can stand on the tee and kind of swing for the fences, and swing loosely.

“It's all very contrived and manufactured, and it happened to go straight today. If I get off the tee and in a decent position, I can really do some damage.

“But I really would like to be able to stand on the tee box and swing hard and know that the ball is going to go fairly straight.”