The battle for the European Tour number one spot is set to go down to the wire as top two Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood continued their cut-and-thrust on Saturday.

With seven holes to go in his third round at the deciding Dubai World Championship Westwood was 13 under par and one ahead of fellow Englishman Ross McGowan.

But money list leader McIlroy was only two behind after covering the first 11 holes in four under as well.

After taking a two-stroke overnight lead with a 20-foot closing birdie effort Westwood saved par on the first from almost as far and then rolled in a curling 30-footer only three holes later.

The world number five, who topped the Order of Merit in 2000, had to wait until the ninth for his next birdie, but it was to be the start of three in a row.

McGowan, who won his first Tour title in Madrid last month after a third round 60, was in spectacular form again as he went to the turn in 31 and led by two until Westwood hit back.

McIlroy started by missing a five-foot opportunity, but birdied the second, fifth and eighth to be out in 33 and began the inward half with a 25-footer.

The 20-year-old Northern Irishman, trying to be the youngest Order of Merit champion since Seve Ballesteros in 1976, leads by more than £114,000.

A Westwood victory tomorrow would earn him over £700,000 from the tournament and almost £900,000 more for topping the money list.

It looks to have come down to the two of them with German Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher only two under after rounds of 72 and 70 respectively. They were in a tie for 37th, but just to have a chance Kaymer had to finish in the top four and Fisher either first or second.