Commercial Bank Qatar Masters - Day three digest

Everything you need to know from the third round in Qatar.

Three lead the way in logjammed leaderboard, Barron breaks barren run in style and Ferguson enjoys birdie blitz.

Here is everything you need to know on Moving Day at Doha Golf Club.

Højgaard homes in on fifth DPWT title

Rasmus Højgaard was the overwhelming favourite heading into the tournament and the Dane has been quietly going about his business in Qatar. Following an opening 73, the 22-year-old carded a tournament low 66 on Friday to catapult himself into contention before adding a flawless 67 on Moving Day to sit at the top of the leaderboard at ten under alongside Rikuya Hoshino and Ugo Coussaud. Højgaard has been not dropped a shot in his last 33 holes, which is ominous for the field as he targets a fifth DP World Tour title of his young career. He said: "Most part of the round was very solid. I felt I was pretty good out of the tee box, I gave myself some good chances and rolled a few in. The last few holes there were a couple of poor swings, but managed to keep it bogey-free so that’s a positive."

Coussaud keeps cool in Doha

Coussaud held a two-shot lead in the latter stages of Moving Day, which is no mean feat for the Challenge Tour graduate. The Frenchman finished fourth on the Road to Mallorca last year to earn his card on the DP World Tour and he has been in terrific form, making the cut in his last six events which has seen him record two top 15 finishes in the process. The 31-year-old made a rapid start on Saturday, opening with a birdie-birdie start before dropping a shot at the sixth. However, a brilliant turn of five birdies in six holes from the eighth saw him soar into the outright lead. Trouble at the 15th saw his lead get cut to one before Højgaard and Hoshino birdied the penultimate hole to share the three-way lead ahead of the final round. Coussaud said: "I had a very good start, two birdies, but the putter was quite hot today and felt I hit very good tee-shots as well. I was never in too much trouble before 15, but I had a proper round and enjoyed it today."

Barron's epic turn

Halfway leader Haydn Barron looked as though he was continuing his momentum from the opening two rounds when he climbed to ten under after the first hole. However, the Australian's challenge quickly tailed off thanks to three dropped shots and a triple bogey on the front nine. The eight on the par-five ninth saw him slide down to four under, but he responded in style. Barron rolled in an eagle putt at the tenth before adding gains at the 13th and 16th to close in on the leaders. A bogey at the penultimate hole means he is three adrift, but it could have been much worse.

Ferguson's birdie blitz

Ewen Ferguson produced the joint-lowest round of the tournament to sit one shot behind leaders Højgaard, Coussaud and Hoshino after a hectic Moving Day. The Scot, who lifted the title here in 2022, had to wait until the seventh hole to pick up his first shot of the day, but carded six birdies in eight holes to briefly take the outright lead at nine under. He could not improve his score during his flawless performance of 66 as he leads the chasing pack of a logjammed leaderboard and the 27-year-old is hoping history repeats itself in Qatar as he aims for a third DP World Tour crown of his career. He said: "Got off to quite a slow start but felt like I was swinging it well. Just some awkward numbers so I couldn't get close but I know pars aren't too bad out there, it's hard to make a move. I hit it close on 7, hit it close on 9 and knowing that the tenth par-five was coming up and get something on there and it just falls your way sometimes and made a few putts. Just glad I could make a nice move at a tournament I love. I trailed the last time I won around here, it's a hard course to hold on to a lead. So I don't mind going out there, make some birdies, try and give it a go and you don't get many chances in golf to win so I will be giving it everything for sure."

Consistency is key for Hoshino

Hoshino has been incredibly consistent over the first three rounds in Qatar, carding 69-68-69 to sit in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard. He had racked up 16 birdies across his 54 holes so far, with two dropped shots in each round at Doha Golf Club. The 27-year-old Japanese player clearly has a liking for two particular holes on this layout as he has carded birdies at ninth and 17th on all three days. If he can continue that trend on Sunday, he could be lifting his first DP World Tour crown.