Dubai (AFP)
France's Mike Lorenzo-Vera and Spaniard Jon Rahm hold the lead on the final leg of the European Tour (EPGA) in Dubai on Saturday, two strokes ahead of world No.2 Rory McIlroy before the final round on Sunday.
In the third round, Rahm scored 66, six under the par, while Lorenzo-Vera returned a 69 for the second day in a row.
The 25-year-old Spaniard, N.5 worldwide, has returned favorably in the race for the European N.1 title this season. In the current state of the scores, he would be ahead of the Austrian GP Bernd Wiesberger in the final standings, 24th at 13 times, and Tommy Fleetwood of England, 4th at four shots by Rahm and Lorenzo-Vera.
At 34, the latter, leading since Thursday despite a sinusitis that weakens him, runs after his first career success on the European circuit.
In addition to Rahm, Lorenzo-Vera, a native of Biarritz, N.96 world, remains under the threat of McIlroy, who signed Saturday a card of 65.
The winner will pocket the check for 2.7 million euros for this last step, which is the biggest endowment of the EPGA.
On the side of the three other French golfers still in the running, Romain Langasque, Benjamin Hebert and Victor Perez are respectively 32nd, 38th and 41st.
© 2019 AFP