Graeme McDowell has no special game plan in place to hold off the in-form Ian Poulter and claim a morale-boosting victory in the Race to Dubai by lifting the UBS Hong Kong Open trophy tomorrow.
The Portrush golfer produced a strong back-nine performance today to move within two strokes of Poulter, who carded birdies in his last two holes to claim the outright lead on 19 under.
Poulter has been in scintillating form around the Fanling course and has yet to drop a shot whilst carding the lowest score of the tournament so far with a 10 under 60 in the second round.
McDowell, though, is enjoying arguably the best form of his career this year and has also done little wrong in Hong Kong.
And the US Open champion has no intention of taking a different approach to tomorrow’s final round as he bids to add to his seven wins on the European Tour.
“I’m not going to change my game plan,” he said after firing the lowest score of the day today with a seven under 63. “I feel like I’ve played this golf course the way it needs to be played for me.
“There are times to attack and there are times to be conservative out there and I think I’ve been reading the golf course well from that point of view. I’ve been coming here for many years and I know this golf course very well.
“I fully expect to have to shoot 65 to have a chance to win tomorrow, and like I say, I’m not going to have to do anything differently. Just keep playing the way I’m playing.”
McDowell is second to Martin Kaymer in the Race to Dubai and with the German deciding to skip the event a win tomorrow for the Ulsterman will see him close the gap on the European Tour’s money list.
But the 31-year-old insisted his battle with Kaymer does not place any extra pressure on his shoulders to perform well tomorrow.
“Tomorrow is a hugely important day for me, but I’m really looking at the next days as hugely important for me,” added McDowell.
“I’m not under any extra pressure because next week (at the Dubai World Championship) is such a big purse that if Martin Kaymer goes and wins next week it’s all over anyway.
“I may as well go out and relax and play my golf tomorrow. I’m out there thinking about the UBS Hong Kong Open and I am enjoying it out there and enjoying my game.”
Poulter fired a third successive blemish-free round whilst shooting four birdies and an eagle three on the par-five third for a six under 64.
Simon Dyson maintained his impressive form in Hong Kong to remain firmly in contention for tomorrow after carding a five under 65 to move onto 16 under, three behind Poulter.
Rory McIlroy will need to be at his best tomorrow to have a chance of claiming victory after a four-under 66 left him tied fourth alongside Anthony Kang (67) on 15 under.
The Holywood golfer failed to take advantage of a back nine that has been particularly generous with birdie putts as the 21-year-old managed to pick up shots on only the 10th and 18th.
Nevertheless, McIlroy felt those putts were pivotal in keeping him in touch with the leaders.
“I’m a couple behind, but feel as if I’m playing well and made some key up and downs on the back nine to keep myself in there,” he said. “I think my patience paid off with a birdie at the last.
“I didn’t quite have it as well as I had it on Thursday and Friday, but 66 is still a decent score. But I need to go out tomorrow and try and put a low one on the board and see what happens.”
Darren Clarke posted a second successive 64 to move to 10 under, while Damien McGrane (67), Gareth Maybin (68) and Michael Hoey (69) are all on eight under.
Peter Lawrie could only manage a 72 and lies on two under, while Paul McGinley is a shot further back after a 73.