Rory McIlroy paid tribute to the “incredible” Northern Irish crowd after equalling the lowest weekend round of his major career to give himself “half a chance” of victory at The Open.
McIlroy was seven strokes off the halfway lead but charged into contention with three birdies in his first four holes on Saturday at Royal Portrush, then undid a bizarre bogey at the 11th by holing a sensational long-range eagle at the par-five next.
The Masters champion – chasing a second major win of the season – added another birdie at the 15th and closed out a third-round 66, leaving him tied-fourth as world No 1 Scottie Scheffler pulled clear of the chasing pack.
The best of the action from Rory McIlroy’s third-round 66, where he carded an eagle, four birdies and a bogey
“It was incredible,” McIlroy said. “It was so much fun. I got off to the perfect start, three under through four. Felt like at the end of the front nine there, at least through 11. The par on seven felt like a bogey, and then had the bogey on 11. To play those last seven holes at three under I thought was a good effort. Yeah, I played well.
“I rode my luck at times, but it was an incredible atmosphere out there. I feel like I’ve at least given myself half a chance tomorrow.”
‘Strange’ shot and ‘cool’ eagle part of stunning 66
McIlroy holed from 36 feet at the first and tapped in at the par-five next after leaving his eagle attempt short, then rolled in from 10 feet at the fourth to register a third birdie in four holes.
McIlroy got his third round of the 153rd Open Championship off to a perfect start with three birdies in four holes
The world No 2 remained within four of the lead despite missing a 10-foot chance at the next and closing out his bogey-free front nine with a run of two-putt pars, only to receive a bad break after a wayward tee shot at the par-four 11th.
McIlroy unintentionally hit an old, plugged ball at the same time as his second shot, leading to a bogey-five, but bounced back by holing from 56 feet – his longest putt of the season – to deliver a sensational eagle at the par-five next.
There was a bizarre incident on the par-four 11th, where McIlroy unearthed a buried ball when hitting his approach to the green
“My ball came out so strange,” McIlroy said about the 11th. I thought I was going to get a flier – I looked up at my ball, and I could see it spinning up against the wind. I obviously no idea there was a ball anywhere close to my ball.
“I could have done better with the chip shot there anyway. I mean, making bogey on 11 is not the end of the world – it’s a tough hole. But the eagle on 12 was one of the coolest moments. It’s one of the largest roars I’ve ever heard on a golf course.”
Rory McIlroy holed a 56ft eagle putt at the par-five 12th to close in on Scottie Scheffler at The Open
McIlroy: Similar start needed to stop Scheffler
The home favourite got the home crowds excited further when he set up a close-range birdie at the 15th, then produced a sensational up and down to scramble an unlikely par at the next, with closing pars leaving him chasing Scheffler heading into Sunday.
“Scheffler is inevitable,” McIlroy told Sky Sports. “Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s become a complete player. He’s so good around the greens, he’s improved so much with his putter.
Scottie Scheffler shot a bogey-free 67 to extend his lead at The Open to four shots heading in to the final round at Royal Portrush
“It’s going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does. But if I can get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he feels that a couple of groups behind me, and you never know.
“I just need to go out and play another really good round of golf tomorrow and see what happens.”
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