Rory McIlroy concedes defeat to Luke Donald who is about to complete the best year of his golfing in the tournament, a third round 66 at the Dubai World Championship.

“It’s over – definitely,” McIlroy said after a 71 dropped him from third to eighth in an event he has to win just to have a chance. “And Luke deserves it.”

Nobody has ever topped the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic in the same season, but if Donald wins, it would be worth US$ 2.72 million (£1.7 million) to the 34 year-old English star, made up of the tournament first prize of US$ 1.27 million (£793,298) and an Order of Merit bonus of US$ 1.52 million (£951.957).

Needing ‘only’ a top-nine finish to clinch the ‘Race to Dubai’, as it is called, Donald burst from joint 12th place at halfway to fourth spot on 10 under par.

If McIlroy, who has been battling possible Dengue fever, fails to win tomorrow the race is all over regardless of where Donald finishes.

Spaniard Alvaro Quiros still leads, but a bogey six on the last for a 70 and 14 under total means Europe’s biggest hitter, for the fourth time in five seasons, is only two ahead of Scot Paul Lawrie, who eagled the same hole.

Dubai World Championship Third Round Leaderboard:

202 Alvaro Quiros (Spain) 68 64 70
204 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 65 73 66
205 Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 72 67 66
206 Luke Donald (England) 72 68 66
207 Peter Hanson (Sweden) 64 72 71, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 71 68 68, Shane Lowry (Ireland) 69 70 68
208 Paul Casey (England) 72 66 70, Robert Rock (England) 68 69 71, Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 66 71 71, Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 69 71 68, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 67 73 68, Martin Kaymer (Germany) 73 71 64
209 Pablo Larrazabal (Spain) 71 68 70
210 Ian Poulter (England) 73 69 68
211 Jaco Van Zyl (South Africa) 69 70 72, David Lynn 69 72 70, Lee Westwood (England) 73 69 69