Rory McIlroy will take a share of the lead into the final round of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, as he took a major step towards a Dubai double on Saturday.

McIlroy is already on the verge of securing his sixth Race to Dubai crown to match Seve Ballesteros' record, only requiring a top-11 finish even if closest rival Thriston Lawrence was to win the final event on the 2024 calendar.

He ended Saturday's penultimate round eight shots clear of Lawrence and tied for the lead with Antoine Rozner and Rasmus Hojgaard, having carded a four-under 68.

The Northern Irishman scored six birdies and two bogeys in his third round, while Hojgaard made six birdies in a seven-hole stretch to ultimately make up two shots on McIlroy.

Rozner, meanwhile, surrendered the solo lead with a three-under 69, though a final-hole eagle ensured he will start Sunday's decisive final round among the frontrunners.

Things could have been even better for McIlroy had he not missed a birdie putt on the par-five 18th hole, which would have seen him enter Sunday a shot clear of the pack.

Rory needed this putt to take the solo lead into the final round...#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/Q3PfgCDkCN
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 16, 2024

Nevertheless, he remains among the favourites to seal a third DP World Tour Championship crown, having previously won the event in 2012 and 2015.

Sweden's Jesper Svensson and Chile's Joaquin Niemann are two shots back of the leaders at 10-under for the tournament, with England's Tyrrell Hatton another shot back in sixth.