Rory McIlroy makes late error to ruin 3rd-round charge in Abu Dhabi; Paul Waring leads by 1

Rory McIlroy's charge at Abu Dhabi Championship faltered when he found water off his drive and me double bogey on last hole on Saturday, leaving him five shots off le held by Paul Waring heing into final round.

Nine strokes off le after 36 holes, . 3-ranked McIlroy h closed to just three shots back in third round when he pulled his tee shot on par-5 . 18, ball bouncing off rocks lining fairway and ricocheting into water.

After a drop, McIlroy n hit an approach — his fourth shot — into greenside bunker and could only make a 7, for a 3-under 69 and 13 under overall.

“ leers weren't getting away and I was making a little bit of a charge,” said McIlroy, who me six birdies after opening his round with a bogey. “And one mistake — that drive on 18. Untimely mistake.”

It was all more frustrating for McIlroy because 229th-ranked Waring — leer by five shots after second round — was one of only two players in top 29 to shoot over par on Saturday.

With a 1-over 73, Waring saw his le trimmed to one stroke and was 18 under for tournament. Niklas rgaard was alone in second place after shooting 69, with Tommy Fleetwood (71), Thorbjorn Olesen (71), Sebastien Soderberg (68) and Shane Lowry (66) tied for third place.

McIlroy was in a tie for 13th place as he seeks a win that can clinch him Race to Dubai title for a sixth time, tying him with late Seve Ballesteros and putting him just two off record eight of Colin Montgomerie.

“I dug myself a bit of hole to get out of,” McIlroy said, ding he still goes “into tomorrow feeling like I have half a chance.”

McIlroy also me triple bogey on . 17 on Friday.