Joachim B Hansen and Francesco Laporta share the lead going into what should be a thrilling final day at the Aviv Dubai Championship on Sunday, with the top nine players separated by four shots.
Both Hansen and Laporta posted 5-under-par 67s around the Fire Course on Saturday, lifting them to 19-under for the tournament and one shot ahead of defending champion Antoine Rozner.
Finland’s Kalle Samooja sits on 17-under, while former European No 1 Tommy Fleetwood and Australia’s Min Woo Lee are one stroke further back. The pair are trailed by three players on 15-under, including two-time major champion Martin Kaymer and recent Ryder Cup rookie Bernd Wiesberger. The Aviv Dubai Championship marks the penultimate stop on this year’s Race to Dubai.
Hansen, ranked 170th in the world and currently 85th on the seasonal standings, is bidding for a second European Tour victory following his win at last season’s Joburg Open.
On Saturday, Hansen carded six birdies and his first bogey of the week, before having some trouble on the par-5 18th, when his approach found the buggy track. He then needed to get up and down from the greenside bunker to go into Sunday at the summit.
“It was very good from tee to green, the best I’ve ever played from tee to green,” Hansen said. “I missed a lot of good chances at the beginning and a few on the back nine. All in all, 5-under is a good score but it could have been a lot better.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow - we’ll see how that’s going to go. Hopefully it will be another beautiful day and we’ll see what happens in the end. I just need to stay patient."
Unlike Hansen, Laporta is searching still for his first win on the tour. The Italian, the world No 211, recorded three birdies on both nines on Saturday – he bogeyed the par-3 11th – including one on the last to keep up with his playing partner.
“It was a good day, a good fight with the other guys,” said Laporta, who currently sits 45th on the Race to Dubai. “It’s obviously the third round, and we were all in contention, so there was more pressure than the other two days, and it was more windy so it was the toughest day of the week.
“My game is pretty good actually. I didn’t hit the irons very solid like the other two days, so we’re going to work on that this afternoon on the range. But I’ll keep everything; my driver is in good shape and my putting is getting better, so I’ll try keep that going tomorrow.”
The winner of last year’s inaugural event, Rozner got his third round off to a brilliant start at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The Frenchman birdied the first and then holed out from the fairway for an eagle on the par-4 3rd. However, a double-bogey on the 5th stalled his momentum before he eventually signed off for a 69.
“Today was tougher, definitely. I did not hit the ball as well as the other days. There were a few mistakes here and there and I didn’t score on the easy holes. In the end it is not a disaster. It is 3-under and I am still in there in the mix and everything is up to tomorrow. I’m in there and that is what I wanted when I started this tournament. I have a chance.”
Meanwhile, Fleetwood traded two bogeys on the front nine for six birdies coming home as he looks to capture a sixth European Tour title. In the end, the 2017 Race to Dubai winner was eight shots better off on the back nine.
“I’m just really happy that I could get something going and play the way I did," Fleetwood said. "Then you go into tomorrow, I can’t do anything about what those guys do. Someone could finish with an eagle, someone could shoot 60 tomorrow, but that’s not my problem.
“All I can do is do what I did on the back nine today and try do that for a full round. But there’s been a lot of good golf in there and I’ve got to take that into tomorrow.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
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6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on Quran memorisation:
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
More on animal trafficking
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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