Rory McIlroy leads by three in bid to win his third Dubai Desert Classic title

Rory McIlroy holds a three-shot lead in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic despite a disappointing bogey on the 18th (Kamran Jebreili/AP)

Rory McIlroy will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic after a late blunder gave the chasing pack renewed hope of preventing his third win in the event.

Starting the day two shots off the lead, McIlroy surged to the top of the leaderboard with birdies on the first four holes before his momentum stalled with eight straight pars.