Rory McIlroy reveals what he found ‘very difficult’ during the third round at the Irish Open

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Rory McIlroy is on pole position to secure his fourth victory of 2024, with the 35-year-old one shot clear heading into the final round of the Irish Open.

Many will certainly be expecting Rory McIlroy to secure his second Irish Open title at Royal County Down, with the Northern Irishman currently one shot clear of Matteo Manassero. McIlroy was one of only four players to break 70 on Saturday.

McIlroy noted how hard it was off the tee on Saturday due to the bunkers around many of his landing areas throughout the round. But it seems that he hardly found life any easier once he was hitting into the greens.

McIlroy made 13 pars during his round of 69, with yet another eagle coming on the first, as well as two birdies. Unfortunately, he also ended up making his third straight bogey on the fifth, and concluded his round with a six on the par five 18th.

Rory McIlroy reveals what was ‘very difficult’ during the third round at the Irish Open

Speaking after his round, McIlroy suggested that he had little intention of being aggressive and going after pins throughout the day.

“Yeah, a lot of tee shots in the fairway, a lot of shots on to the green, and thought it was very difficult to get the ball close today,” he said.

“So I kept leaving myself 30, 40 feet, a lot of good two-putts, a lot of really good sort of three and four footers coming back that are really tricky in conditions like this.

“Yeah, very pleased with how I played today and I’m going to need to play like that again tomorrow to try to finish it up.”

A fourth win of 2024 would be a real statement

It has been a turbulent season for McIlroy. Of course, his most memorable round of the year will surely be the Sunday at Pinehurst where he missed out on winning the US Open when he appeared to have one hand on the trophy.

But making it four wins for 2024 would be a hugely impressive achievement. And you would not be surprised if there was further glory to come, with McIlroy leading the Race To Dubai heading into the final stretch of the season.

McIlroy suggested that he was largely happy with his season, but clearly, he is on a level where he is predominantly going to be judged by how he plays in the major championships. He has won virtually everything in the game, so his performances in golf’s four biggest events obviously matter most.

A victory in the Irish Open may not heal all of the scars from June, but clearly, a win on Sunday will definitely help improve how many view his year.