He started with a double-bogey on Saturday, but Thriston Lawrence bounced back with six birdies in the third round of the DP World Tour Championship at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Estates in Dubai.

After that poor start, he picked up his first birdie on the third hole, and he made two more on the fifth and the seventh ahead of the turn. He then picked up shots on the 14th, 16th and 18th on the homeward nine, and, at 10-under through 54 holes, he was in a share of 12th ahead of the final round.

Up front, Rory McIlroy and Dane ranus Neergaard-Petersen had a pair of four-under 68 to move to the top of the leaderboard at 13-under-par. They were one stroke ahead of six players in a share of third on 12-under. They included Englishmen Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Laurie Canter and Tyrrell Hatton, as well as Spaniard Angel Ayora and Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark.

With Lawrence on 12-under were, amongst four others, were Ryder Cuppers Shane Lowry and Robert MacIntyre.

Jayden Schpaer was two shots further back in a share of 18th on eight-under after his bogey-free third round of five-under-par 67.

Jacques Kruyswijk had a two-under 70 to move to five-under and a share of 30th, while Shaun Norris was in 51st place in the 52-man field after his third round of  three-over 75 took him to four-over for the championship.