Rory McIlroy maintained his three-shot lead as the final round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation got under way at The K Club.
McIlroy and Masters Tournament champion Danny Willett had both parred their final three holes of the third round first thing in the morning, setting up the prospect of a final day duel between the two highest-ranked players in the field.
But while McIlroy, Willett and Russell Knox all made pars on their opening three holes in the final round, the chasing pack were making their moves, with Bradley Dredge picking up three shots in five holes to join Willett at six under.
McIlroy's opening three pars saw him remain at nine under as he searches for a first win in his home event after missing the cut for the past three seasons.
Knox was at five under alongside Jamie Donaldson - who had two birdies in six holes - a shot clear of Rafa Cabrera Bello, Tyrrell Hatton, Matthew Southgate, Richard Sterne, Jaco Van Zyl and Lee Westwood.
All three of the final group parred the first with Willett doing well to get up and down from the left rough and McIlroy seeing his putt agonisingly horseshoe out from 20 feet.
Knox had the best birdie chance but could not make his putt and left another chance short on the second after playing beautiful approach shots on his first two holes.
It was a trio of impressive second shots into the par four but neither Willett nor McIlroy could make their birdie attempts and all three men will have considered the second an opportunity missed.
Welshman Dredge had birdied the second and he followed that with gains on the third and fourth to move alongside Willett at six under, with countryman Donaldson a shot back after birdies on the first and fourth.
The final group then continued their consistent iron play, making pars after finding the green at the par three third.
