poulter leads in Dubai

Golf World columnist Ian Poulter takes a two shot lead into the final round of the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World after a third round 69.

The English Ryder Cup star is 12 under at Jumeirah Golf Estates, but has Francesco Molinari, Thongchai Jaidee and Ross Fisher hot on his heels.

Germany’s US PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer is in a tie for 11th after a one over par 73, but looks set to capture The Race to Dubai with Graeme McDowell back in a tie for 30th.

The Northern Irishman needs a top three finish to stand any chance of denying Kaymer, and is ten shot behind Poulter in two under after a 69.

Poulter’s only thoughts are on winning for the second time in eight days – last Sunday it was the UBS Hong Kong Open and now he takes a two stroke lead over Ryder Cup team-mates Fisher and Molinari and also Thai golfer Jaidee into the final round.

Lee Westwood is one stroke further back and Kaymer, whose approach to the 620 yard last rolled into the ditch, said of his challenge for the tournament: “I kicked myself out of it I think.

“I will play as aggressively as possible and I can’t lose now. It looks like I have won The Race to Dubai, which was my goal.

“But it would be more satisfying if I shoot a low round – between 66 and 63, which I think is possible.”

He was joint leader after starting the back nine with a hat-trick of birdies, but promptly bogeyed the next two before double bogeying the last.

Poulter was three clear early in the round, then had his first two bogeys of the week, but came back with birdies on the 14th and 15th and parred in for a 69.

His lead was only one playing the 18th, but joint overnight leader Fisher took six there.

McDowell, down on two under, was disappointed he had not been able to sustain a better challenge to Kaymer in the final week of the race.

But he said that a season of incredible highs – the US Open Championship and The Ryder Cup, of course – has left him convinced he can go on to become World Number One.

“What I’ve learnt this season is that I’m good enough,” he said.

“I know what room I have for improvement, but it was great to see that my best is good enough to compete.

“Two or three years ago the number one player in the world seemed untouchable, but I believe if I work hard enough the next few years I could be the best player in the world.”

McDowell felt his chances ended when he three-putted the short fourth and then missed birdie chances on the next two greens.

“I was just waiting for the taxi to turn up and take me home at that point,” he commented.

“The course has not shown me much love. It’s not my cup of tea – it frustrated me last year and is continuing to frustrate me.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to wave the white flag. I tried my heart out and it just didn’t happen, but I’ll have a cold beer and look back on a great season.”