The local billboards call the Dubai World Championship the 'greatest show on Earth' and Luke Donald did his best to justify that tag with a faultless six-under-par 66 in Saturday's third round. The world number one's performance means he now stands on the threshold of achieving a unique golfing double by landing the order of merit titles on both sides of the Atlantic.
Donald, who secured the US PGA Tour money-list in October, is also leading the way in Europe and needs to finish no worse than ninth with no more than one other competitor to edge out his only rival, Rory McIlroy, in the season finale in Dubai. The 34-year-old Donald was fourth on 10-under 206 at the end of the third round, four strokes adrift of tournament leader Alvaro Quiros (70) of Spain. McIlroy could only manage a 71 for 208 at the Greg Norman-designed Earth course.
"The race is over," the 22-year-old Northern Irishman told reporters. "Luke is in a great position and I expect him to go out and shoot another very solid round tomorrow. "He deserves it, he's had an incredible year. He has played great. He deserves to be number one in the world and deserves to win both money-lists." Donald, however, refused to consider the money-list race was run with one round still remaining. "You can't in this game," he said. "I would be foolish to expect it is over.
"Tomorrow will be just like any other day in terms of my focus. I will be trying to catch the leader and trying to win the tournament." Donald has already won four times in a remarkably consistent season and a fifth victory is still a possibility after he blazed his way to six birdies in the scorching Dubai heat.