Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy were left with contrasting emotions after the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Lowry moved through the field with a 66 in tough conditions at Yas Links and goes into Sunday's final round three behind leader Paul Waring on 15 under.
McIlroy looked set to be similarly well placed until he found water off the tee at the 18th and ran up a double-bogey seven to finish with a 69 that left him 13 under for the week.
“The first two days, I got off to a really average start,” said Lowry. “So just tried to get off to a better start today, and I did. I kind of kicked on over the front nine and then got a bit stale on the back nine.
“I'm happy with my score. It doesn't seem like the leaders are going that far away.
“I think I'll be within touching distance going into tomorrow, and if I can fire a low one, I can be there or thereabouts.
“I've been driving the ball really good. My iron play has been great. I probably haven't been holing as many putts as I would like.
“I feel like I'm putting all right, hitting good putts, not missing the shorter ones. I feel like a few putts drop, I can be dangerous.
“In saying that, I've 12 new clubs in the bag this week. I have a new driver and new set of irons. What's going on before me, I haven't really thought about. I've just been trying to get used to this, and it's going very well so far. Hopefully it keeps going that way.”
McIlroy admitted that he felt “a little bit” like screaming after dropping shots over the closing stretch for the second day running, having had a triple-bogey at the 17th on Friday.
“Playing the last two holes in two over for two days in a row is not ideal,” he said, “Cost myself obviously a few shots there.
“The leaders weren't getting away, which was nice and I was making a little bit of a charge. Just one mistake, that drive on 18, and with it playing so much into the wind.
"Untimely mistake just like yesterday on 17 and dug myself a little bit of a hole to get out of, but depending on what the leaders do, I can still go into tomorrow feeling like I have half a chance.”
