Two-time Abu Dhabi winner Fleetwood put himself in rivalry with a 71 regardless of struggling along with his putter.
Sweden’s Sebastian Soberberg and Denmark’s Thorbjoern Olesen are additionally on 15 below, whereas Lowry adopted up an eagle on the par-five second with 5 birdies in a spherical of 66.
Belgian Thomas Detry carded a 10-under bogey-free spherical of 62 to hitch a bunch of six gamers on 14 below which additionally contains Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and England’s Tyrrell Hatton.
Northern Eire’s McIlroy, who began the day 9 photographs off the lead, reduce that hole to 3 earlier than falling again with a seven on the final. His 69 left him 13 below.
He’ll win the Race to Dubai for a sixth time if he finishes within the high two in Abu Dhabi, earlier than the European Tour season finale in Dubai subsequent week.
“I type of dug myself a little bit of a gap to get out of, however I can nonetheless go into tomorrow feeling like I’ve half an opportunity,” mentioned McIlroy.
“I bogeyed the primary in the present day and doubled the final, however in between that I performed some actually good golf. I simply have to hold the massive errors and massive numbers off my card.”
