By Kent Gray
Cue the Jaws theme tune and dust off the Falcon Trophy. Rory McIlroy lurks ominously just a shot off the lead and will surely, finally, gets his hands on the most tantalising prize in golf – save for a certain green jacket – to thus far elude him.

At least that’s how the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship fairytale goes, unless of course you’re co-leaders Thomas Pieters or Ross Fisher, or anyone of the 13 other players within five shots of the lead.

As Matthew Fitzpatrick showed with his sizzling 63 on Saturday, Abu Dhabi G.C. is there for the taking, not withstanding the threat of gusty winds on Sunday. It certainly won’t surprise if someone the ilk of the 23-year-old Englishman, world No.1 Dustin Johnson, defending champion Tommy Fleetwood or even Andrew “Beef” Johnston, emerges as the joker from the chasing pack to win the Desert Swing opener.

But Rory, four-times a bridesmaid around The National and a player who has finished no worse than 11th in nine appearances in Abu Dhabi, is overdue a Falcon and clearly the most dangerous immediate threat to Pieters and Thomas.

The world No.11’s comeback to golf after a 3.5 month sabbatical is already well ahead of schedule as just one bogey in 54 holes illustrates. Even that dropped shot was spectacular after the 28-year-old holed out from the fringe after taking two to escape a greenside trap on the par 3 15th in his third round 65.

Indeed, the Northern Irishman has got better with every round – 69, 66, 65 – and appears in supreme control of his TaylorMade TP5x golf ball from tee to green and around it too as his chip-in for birdie on the 17th yesterday highlighted. With four majors, two WGC titles, seven regular season European Tour and as many again on the PGA Tour, it’s not like McIlroy doesn’t know how to seal the deal, ring rust or not.

So what would it mean to triumph straight out of the blocks in 2018 to erase the first winless, and injury riddled, year of your career?

“It would mean a lot. I’ve had a lot of close calls here, I think about six top threes or something like that,” said the former world No.1.

“I’ve never won my first start back out either. I was close last year in South Africa, Stormy [Graeme Storm] beat me in a playoff. It’s felt like a while since I’ve won and just to give myself these chances; I gave myself a chance at the end of the year at Close House and wasn’t able to do it. Paul Dunne played too well for me. I’m excited to get back on the horse and give myself another chance tomorrow.”

After a 67 Saturday, Pieters has a golden chance too and is a player unlikely to go backwards. That said, the Belgian, T-4 in 2015 and runner-up to Rickie Fowler a year later, will need his icy-cold putter to warm up or he could be overrun in what shapes up as an intriguing, multi-player shootout. The 25-year-old would almost be out of sight if he’d capitalised on all his third round chances but will instead need to survive Sunday’s scramble if he is to capture a fourth European Tour title.

“Yeah, first event out and that’s where you want to be [leading]. You want to have a bit of nerves and feel like you’re in contention, and I look forward to tomorrow,” Pieters said.

After rounds of 67-67-65, Fisher has zeroed in his first European Tour win since the 2014 Tshwane Open and is likewise excited to be in the mix.

“Just having a chance to win the first event for me on The European Tour season, such a prestigious event here in Abu Dhabi, HSBC, you only have to walk up 18 and see the list of past champions,” Fisher said.

“So to have a chance of putting my name amongst that illustrious property of players would be great. Have to go out and play as well as I have done the first three days. I’m excited and looking forward to the challenge.”

He’s not alone.