Erickson holds one shot UAE Challenge lead

Dan Erickson holds a one-stroke lead heading into the final round of the UAE Challenge at Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club in Ajman.

The American fired a nine-under-par third round of 63 to tie the course record. The 26-year-old picked up five shots on the front nine, including three birdies in a row from the fourth hole, before adding four more on the back nine.

Erickson, who recently finished tied for sixth at the Porsche Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour, was delighted with his third-round effort at Al Zorah, moving to 16-under-par for the tournament.

“I didn’t really have a good warm-up, but as soon as I got out there, I kind of found something and rolled with it the whole day. I hit my approaches really well, which I’ve been struggling with lately—especially some of the wedges. They were really solid strokes and well controlled,” he said.

After earning DP World Tour status during last year’s Q School, Erickson is hoping his experiences on golf’s global tour will benefit him as he chases his first HotelPlanner Tour victory.

“It was a great experience playing in the final group in Singapore, and I’ll be in the final group tomorrow. That experience—just staying in the present, sticking to my process, and trying not to worry about what everyone else is doing—should help.”

Italian Renato Paratore and South African JC Ritchie are one shot back on 15-under-par. Ritchie, who began the third round with a share of the lead, signed for a 67, while Paratore—winner of the 2020 Betfred British Masters—carded a 64.

Irishman Mark Power is at 13 under, followed by Italy’s Filippo Celli and France’s Oihan Guillamoundeguy, who are one shot further back.

Dubai resident Adri Arnaus remains in the hunt at 11 under after carding a three-under 69, while Joshua Grenville-Wood—representing the Emirates Golf Federation and the UAE—is three shots further back.

Lady luck proved unkind to the UAE’s Ahmad Skaik when his driver broke on the back nine.

With no spare, the 27-year-old was forced to use his 3-wood from the tee for the remaining holes, yet composed himself admirably, dropping only one shot—on his final hole.

He also got unlucky with a horrible lie at the edge of the bunker on the par-3 fifth hole.

“This is golf—it is what it is. It’s not the first time things like this have happened. I’ve just learned to accept it. These things happen to everyone, and it’s not the last time it’s going to happen, so I just take it on the chin and try to keep moving forward. I’ll try to find a driver now and then go low again tomorrow!”

The final round of the UAE Challenge will start at 7:40 AM, with Erickson, Paratore, and Ritchie teeing off in the final group at 9:40 AM.