Rory McIlroy is going to need one of the most impressive rounds of his career if he is going to win The Open Championship for a second time on Sunday, with the Northern Irishman some way behind Scottie Scheffler at Royal Portrush.
Rory McIlroy has improved each day at The Open Championship, with the 2014 champion moving to eight under par for the event at Royal Portrush.
McIlroy fired a 66 on Saturday, with the highlight coming on the 12th hole as he made an eagle to delight the galleries.
The only blemish on his scorecard during the third round came on the previous hole – in quite bizarre circumstances.
Rory McIlroy reflects on ‘very strange’ incident during The Open Championship
McIlroy made a bogey on the 11th hole after a remarkable incident with his approach shot.
McIlroy seemed to be quite fortunate to see his tee shot end up in the part of the rough which had been trampled down by the spectators.
The lie looked to be quite good. However, when McIlroy hit the shot, another ball popped up from the ground and ended up sitting between his feet. Those watching at home – particularly those who are no stranger to a real mishit – would have feared that the five-time major champion had somehow got it all wrong.
But McIlroy saw the funny side. And after his round, he suggested that it was a moment which he had never dealt with before on the golf course.
“Yeah, it’s never happened to me before. It could never happen on any other course but a links course as well. When the rough is all matted down and the balls get — it was very strange,” he said.
Rory McIlroy reflects on his superb third round at Royal Portrush
McIlroy flew out of the blocks on Saturday. He desperately needed a fast start, and he got one as he made three birdies in four holes.
He responded to his bogey by making an eagle on the following hole. It leaves him probably needing an even better round on Sunday to stand any chance of putting pressure on Scottie Scheffler.
But there is no question that McIlroy was able to take plenty of positives from his performance.
“Obviously a great start, sort of like the dream start to be able to be three under through four and have five and 7 to play. To not birdie those was a little disappointing,” he said.
“Yeah, what happened on 11 was just so — my ball came out so strange, like I thought I was going to get a flier, and I looked up at my ball, and I could see it spinning up against the wind. Just a really weird — I had obviously no idea there was a ball anywhere close to my ball.
“I could have done better with the chip shot there anyway. That was the bogey — I mean, making bogey on 11 is not the end of the world. It’s a tough hole. Yeah, the eagle on 12 was one of the coolest moments of — it’s one of the largest roars I’ve ever heard on a golf course. So that was a really cool moment. To get those shots back straight away was nice, and I felt like I played the last few holes really solid and picked one up coming in, which was good.”
Scheffler looks to be out of sight. But McIlroy is on course for yet another top 10 – which confirms beyond any doubt that his mid-season slump is well and truly over.
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