Matt Wallace has fallen back down the field at the Dubai Desert Classic after a disappointing one-over-par third round of 73.

Having completed his delayed second round this morning with a six-under-par 66, the Moor Park professional would have been hoping to continue to push on and get himself into a position to challenge at the sharp end heading into tomorrow’s final round at Emirates Golf Club.

However, the 27-year-old’s third round was dogged by inconsistency as his five birdies were more than offset by six bogeys, leaving him in a tie for 50th place on eight-under-par.

Starting his third round on nine-under, the Pinner professional dropped back to minus seven after bogey fives on the first and fifth holes.

Those two shots were retrieved with back-to-back birdies at the par three seventh and par four eighth, only for those to be immediately given back with a bogey five on nine and a six at the 10th.

The pattern of birdie-birdie, bogey-bogey continued with a two on the par three 11th and a three on the par four 12th, followed by a six at the par five 13th and a four on the par three 15th. But he was able to finish an up-and-down round on a positive note with a birdie three on the 16th.

The Pinner-based professional will go into the final round 11 shots off the lead, with Haotong Li holding a one-shot advantage over Rory McIlroy on 20-under.