Daniel Hillier will start the final round of the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship tied eighth after another round in the 60s, with Jon Rahm six shots ahead at Yas Links.
Daniel Hillier has moved into the top 10 at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, adding a four-under-par 68 to leave himself six shots off the lead heading into Sunday’s final round.
The New Zealander reached 12-under 204 after rounds of 69, 67 and 68, climbing from a share of 12th into a six-way tie for eighth as the full third round concluded on Saturday in the UAE.
Hillier improved his position while the leaders continued to push the scoring lower. Having started the day four shots behind, he now needs to make up six on Rahm over the final 18 holes.
Another Round In The 60s
Hillier’s third successive sub-70 score keeps a strong finish within reach at the first of the DP World Tour’s two season-ending Play-Offs events.
He shares eighth with Adrian Meronk, Bernd Wiesberger, Jayden Schaper, Nathan Kimsey and Sam Bairstow. Ahead of that group, David Puig and Matthew Jordan are tied sixth at 14 under, with Adam Scott fifth at 15 under.
That leaves Hillier two shots from the top six and three from the top five, offering an immediate target alongside the more demanding chase for the title.
Rahm Takes Control
Rahm’s six-under 66 moved him to 18-under 198 and gave him a one-shot advantage over Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta, who both returned 67s.
Rory McIlroy also shot 67 to sit fourth at 16 under, two strokes behind Rahm. Scott matched the leader’s 66 to ensure another major champion remains prominent in the final-day contest.
The top seven have opened a two-shot gap over Hillier’s group, setting up a final round in which the Kiwi will be looking to move beyond that crowded share of eighth.
Sunday Evening Start For Kiwi Fans
Hillier is scheduled to tee off alongside Bairstow and Wiesberger at 7.52pm NZDT on Sunday 8 November, equivalent to 10.52am in Abu Dhabi.
The final group of Hatton, Laporta and Rahm follows at 8.25pm NZDT, with McIlroy, Scott and Puig starting 11 minutes earlier.
For Hillier, the task is to build on three rounds in the 60s and turn his position inside the top 10 into a strong finish to the week.
Third-Round Leaderboard
| Player | Position | Overall | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Rahm | 1st | −18 | 65 | 67 | 66 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | T2 | −17 | 67 | 65 | 67 |
| Francesco Laporta | T2 | −17 | 62 | 70 | 67 |
| Rory McIlroy | 4th | −16 | 70 | 63 | 67 |
| Adam Scott | 5th | −15 | 68 | 67 | 66 |
| Daniel Hillier | T8 | −12 | 69 | 67 | 68 |
