Eugenio Chacarra strengthened his grip on the DP World India Championship as Rory McIlroy endured an inconsistent third round, leaving the Northern Irishman 10 shots off the lead before play was suspended because of darkness.
Chacarra, who opened the tournament with consecutive rounds of 67, moved to 12 under par after 11 holes of his third round at Delhi Golf Club, extending his advantage as he pursues another significant step in the Race to Dubai standings.
The 26-year-old Spaniard made four birdies in his opening seven holes to consolidate his position at the top of the leaderboard after beginning the day with a one-shot advantage at 10 under.
His closest challengers are compatriot Angel Hidalgo and Dutch golfer Joost Luisten, both two shots behind at 10 under, while Scotland’s Scott Jamieson sits another shot further back.
Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin is four shots behind Chacarra, with defending champion Tommy Fleetwood five adrift after carding a four-under-par 68.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre also remains in contention at eight under, with five holes left to complete in his third round.
McIlroy struggles to keep pace
McIlroy’s challenge suffered a major setback after a series of costly mistakes disrupted his third round.
The six-time major champion had entered Saturday’s play following a bogey-free second-round 68, but struggled to maintain that momentum as he dropped four shots across four holes from the third.
After opening with a birdie, McIlroy recovered briefly with another at the seventh before consecutive bogeys at the ninth and 10th further damaged his position.
He produced one of the round’s standout moments at the 14th, holing out from a bunker for an eagle three to regain some ground.
However, the recovery was not enough to keep him within striking distance of Chacarra, with McIlroy sitting 10 shots off the pace when play was halted.
The result could also affect the Race to Dubai battle, where McIlroy is third behind American Patrick Reed and Chacarra.
Reed remains in the rankings battle
Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, was also making progress before the suspension, sitting two shots ahead of McIlroy after completing 13 holes of his third round.
The American, who leads the Race to Dubai standings following early-season victories in Dubai and Qatar, combined five birdies with a bogey during his round.
He also produced a spectacular moment at the fourth hole, holing his 150-yard approach shot for an eagle two after starting his round at the 10th.
With Chacarra continuing to set the pace and Reed maintaining his position in the rankings battle, the unfinished third round leaves the tournament finely poised ahead of Sunday’s conclusion.
Play is scheduled to resume at 02:05 BST on Sunday, when the remaining players will look to complete their third rounds before the final stage of the championship.
