Sharma continues to climb up the field at Dubai’s DP Worlds

By Rahul Banerji

Shubhankar Sharma continued his surge up the leaderboard on day three of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Saturday.

The 22 year old had a six under par 66 for a share of ninth place alongside Sergio Garcia, defending champion Jon Rahm and Henrik Stenson at 10 under par 202.

Sharma also tightened his grip on the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award with a round that left him well ahead of nearest challengers Sam Horsfield of England and Australia’s Lucas Herbert.

On the verge

In fact Sharma has all but sealed the European Tour’s rookie award and is also well placed to closeout the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit race if he finishes strongly at the Rolex Series finale.

Seven birdies and a bogey marked Sharma’s progress on the day. He dropped a shot on the par 5 second hole but picked up a stroke immediately.

Sharma made the turn three under par and picked up a further three shots to lie four behind co-leaders Patrick Reed and Danny Willet.

Reed makes his move

Masters champion Reed made four birdies on the back nine for a 67 after lurking dangerously for much of the day.

Willett made three birdies in a row from the 14th hole to join him with a 68 at the eighth Rolex Series event of the season.

England’s Jordan Smith finished strongly for his 13 under card, one shot clear of countrymen Matt Wallace and Lee Westwood, and South Africa’s Dean Burmester.

OoM race tightens

In the Race to Dubai, Francesco Molinari was on course to take honours with rival Tommy Fleetwood eight shots off the lead and needing to win.

Reed is looking for his first victory since April, while Willett’s last win also came at Augusta National in 2016.

“I feel good,” said Reed. “I feel like the consistency of my game is where it needs to be.

“To have a chance to go out and finish the year off right and win a golf tournament, give myself a little early Christmas gift, a trophy, would be amazing.”

Wallace led at the start and opened a gap with three birdies on the trot.

But a double-bogey on the eighth stalled his progress and it was left to Reed and Willett to take centrestage in the closing holes.

Lee’s run

Nedbank Golf Challenge winner Westwood got off to a flier with three straight birdies.

A 12-footer on the fifth handed him another shot and he sandwiched birdies on the 11th and 14th with a tee-shot to shoo-in range on the par-three 13th.

Burmester played his way into the field last week but finished fourth here last season and carded six birdies against two bogeys on Saturday in a 68.

Consistent Spaniard Adrian Otaegui was on 11 under alongside England’s Tom Lewis, who had a 67.

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