Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are well poised to strike heading into the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
The Irish duo both carded blemish-free rounds, McIlroy rustling up a scintillating round of 65 to climb to 11-under, one stroke behind joint-leaders Viktor Hovland and Soren Kjeldsen.
Lowry, playing in the final group, posted a 68 to reach 10-under par, tied-sixth in a leaderboard stacked with heavy hitters.
The DP World Tour's flagship event re-commenced on Saturday morning, play having been suspended on Friday following the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday evening, the tournament being reduced to 54 holes as a consequence.
Asked afterwards what it would mean to win in the circumstances, McIlroy said: "I think growing up in Northern Ireland the Royal Family was part of our culture and you just sort of took it for granted that the Queen is the Queen.
"You don't realise that there's going to be kings and queens after that. She was such a steadying figure for the entire country.
"I was very fortunate, I got to meet her a few years ago and she could not have been nicer. I have the picture of that in my house alongside my MBE, which I am very proud of as well.
"I thought it was the right decision for us to continue. I don't think we are disrespecting anyone by playing and celebrating what a life the Queen had.
"I have won 10% of the tournaments I've entered as a professional so every win is a big one.
"But with everything that's going on around our game and everything that's happened over the last couple of days it would certainly be up there as one of the most memorable."
His round was ignited by an eagle at the par-five fourth hole, firing a wondrous approach to nine foot from the right rough and then draining the putt. A birdie followed at the eighth hole - the site of his only dropped stroke on Thursday - as he reached the turn in 33.
Successive birdies arrived on the 11th and then the par-five 12th to lift McIlroy to nine-under for the championship.
The four-time major winner flirted with disaster at the heavily dog-legged par-five 17th, his drive traversing the out-of-bounds zone to the left, disappearing in the trees for five seconds before trickling back onto the fairway. Partially blocked by trees, he expertly hooked his approach to just short of the green, getting up and down for his birdie from there.
Rory McIlroy's ball eventually comes out the trees...#BMWPGA | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/aOunXaBNrT
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2022
McIlroy had a chance to land a second eagle on the par-5 18th, but his short pitch from the fringe whistled by and he tapped in for birdie and a 65, leaving him at 11-under, in a tie for third alongside Thomas Detry and Rafa Cabrera Bello.
Starting the day on six under, Lowry carded a second successive bogey-free round, characterised by consistently beautiful ball-striking, but he endured a frustrating afternoon on the greens, seeing numerous birdies opportunities slide by.
The 2019 Open Champion - a relentlessly strong performer around the west course at Wentworth - sunk an early 14-footer for birdie at the par-three second hole but thereafter the putts failed to drop, his subsequent three birdies coming via tap-ins on par fives.
Lowry's long game was almost note perfect, though he did put himself in some rare trouble off the tee on the third, having to pitch out to 77 foot. However, he clipped his wedge approach into two foot, stroking in for par.
He parred his way through to the par-five 12th, where he came within a whisker of an eagle, wincing as the ball stopped just over the cup. Further chances slipped by until a smooth finish, Lowry finishing birdie-birdie on the two closing par-fives to leave himself two strokes off the leaders heading into Sunday.
Luck of the Irish @ShaneLowryGolf 😂#BMWPGA | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/SFBb1QsrHJ
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 10, 2022
Kjeldsen had set the early target thanks to a superb 64, the 47-year-old Dane dropping a shot on the first but responding with an eagle and seven birdies.
Hovland, who added a 68 to his opening 64, won his second DP World Tour title in Dubai in January and would love to claim another of the circuit's biggest events, especially with Ryder Cup qualifying starting this week.
"I played here in 2019 shortly after I turned pro and I was kind of a little wowed about the experience," the world number 10 said.
"I'd watched a lot of European Tour events, but it was a little bit different showing up here the first time with so many people and just seeing the golf course for the first time after seeing it a little bit on TV.
"It was a cool experience that first time and I didn't play as well as I would have liked last year, but I've got a chance to win tomorrow. That would be awesome."
Both Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia abruptly withdrew from the tournament after Round 1, the former citing a back injury, the latter offering no explanation.
With additional reporting from PA
