England's Tom Lewis on track for inaugural Abu Dhabi Challenge crown

Former DP World Tour winner holds two-shot advantage after round three at the National Course

Tom Lewis of England during day three of the Abu Dhabi Challenge. Getty

Two-time DP World Tour winner Tom Lewis leads the inaugural Abu Dhabi Challenge by two shots heading into the final round after a fine Saturday around the National Course.

The Englishman, who began the day in second, carded a 4-under-par 68 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to sit on 17-under for the Challenge Tour event.

Compatriot Joshua Grenville-Wood, leader at the halfway point, lies second while five-time Challenge Tour winner Ricardo Gouveia heads a three-man group in third, on 13-under, alongside Spain’s Ivan Cantero Gutierrez and South African Wilco Nienaber.

Brandon Stone, another DP World Tour winner, is in solo sixth, on 11-under. Lewis, whose victories on Europe’s lead circuit came in 2011 and 2018, birdie two of the opening three holes on Saturday and then rebounded from the bogey on the 6th – his only dropped shot of the round - with another birdie on the eighth.

Lewis, who finished in the top 10 at the 2019 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at the same venue, collected birdies on 13 and 18 to set the pace heading into Sunday.

“I’m pleased with my round today,” Lewis said. “I haven’t played three rounds of golf in a long time, so it’s nice to get out here and finish strong today. There’s always a period of your round that’s going to be a bit of a struggle.

"I definitely had that, and I felt a bit of pressure out there from myself, but I think it’s important for me to continue with what I’m doing tomorrow.”

Lewis, leader on Day 1 of the tournament, will be attempting to capture his second Challenge Tour title having triumphed at the Bridgestone Challenge in his homeland almost five years ago.

The final round in Abu Dhabi gets under way at 6:45am, with Lewis leading out the final group two hours later alongside playing partners Grenville-Wood and Gouveia at 8:45am.

“The wind swirled a lot today,” Lewis said of Saturday’s work. “I felt everything was into the breeze all the time. I had a few yardages that I didn’t feel too comfortable with, so I had to manufacture a few distances and I managed my game well.

"The weather is very hot, but it’s great to be here and I’m pleased with what I did today. I holed some good putts, missed a couple, but tomorrow’s going to be another good day hopefully. I’m going to make some mistakes, but hopefully I can make some birdies too.

“It helps having a two-shot lead, but it can turn around in one hole. I’m looking to go out and be under par on the front nine and be under par on the back nine, because if that doesn’t do the job, I’ll still be happy with what I’ve done this week.”

Marking the Challenge Tour’s return to the UAE for the first time in five years, the Abu Dhabi Challenge is the first of back-to-back events taking place in the UAE as part of the European Tour group’s long-term partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF).