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Rory McIlroy rockets into reckoning with 66 at Irish Open

Updated / Saturday, 9 Sep 2023 22:53
Rory McIlroy is just one stroke off the lead at the Irish Open
Rory McIlroy is just one stroke off the lead at the Irish Open

Rory McIlroy is well placed for a tilt at a second Horizon Irish Open title after a superb 66 fired him into the top three at the K Club.

The 2016 winner began the weekend eight strokes off the lead but, on a day when the leaders stagnated, McIlroy struck seven birdies to leave himself with a glorious chance of his repeating his previous success at the Kildare venue.

At the close of play, the four-time major winner sits two strokes off the lead held by Germany's Hurly Long, who carded a two-under par 70 to reach 13-under par.

Overnight co-leader Jordan Smith battled to an underwhelming 73, after an unsightly double-bogey on the 7th, though he holds sole possession of second spot. McIlroy is one stroke further back in third.

McIlroy began Saturday with a birdie on the opening hole, adding another soon after on the par-5 fourth.

His 18ft birdie putt horse-shoed around the cup on the ninth, staying out. His chip for an eagle on the 10th likewise lipped out, though he was able to tidy up for a birdie.

In the groove now, McIlroy registered back to back birdies at the short 12th hole and the dog-legged 13th to reach 10-under. With overnight leaders Shubhankar Sharma and Jordan Smith going backwards, McIlroy was very definitely back in the tournament.

The 16th hole, scene of past glories for McIlroy, saw the only dropped stroke in his round, though it could have been so much worse.

FULL LEADERBOARD

With nearly all the players laying up on Friday, the organisers pushed the tee forward by 40 yards to tempt them into attacking the green, bringing the River Liffey into play.

McIlroy's long iron from the left rough whacked off the rocks adjacent to the green and wound up in the water. From the drop zone, he nearly repeated the error. The ball clinked off the rocks shy of the putting service, looped into the air and landed in the heart of the green, much to the relief of the large galleries following the four-time major winner.

From there, he two-putted for bogey and almost grateful to do so. In a reversal of yesterday's fortune, McIlroy bounced back on 17, drilling in a birdie putt to return to -10.

He concluded by finding the heart of the green at the reachable par-5, his eagle putt just shaving the cup.

"Much better, I knew I needed to put the ball in the fairway a bit more off the tee, which I did for the most part," McIlroy said afterwards.

"I felt like I maybe needed to go a couple lower to get myself right in it. But the guys at the top haven't really went away from the field today.

"Excited to put myself right there and have a chance tomorrow."

His 11-under par tally left him tied second with Jordan Smith and and one stroke behind Hurly Long with the latter duo thru 15.

Smith's playing partner Sharma, who fired a scintillating 28 on the front nine on Friday, is +4 for the day.

Shane Lowry is five off lead heading into Sunday

In contrast, it was a frustrating afternoon for Shane Lowry, the 2009 champion mustering an even par round of 72 to sit five strokes adrift of the lead.

Roared on massive galleries over the opening two days, many of the assembled sporting Offaly jerseys, Lowry was the leading Irish player overnight after successive rounds of 68.

Things started brightly on Saturday, Lowry draining a 14ft birdie on the opening hole to climb to nine-under. However, a wayward drive saw him give back the stroke immediately and he reached the turn in even par.

A two-putt birdie on the par-5 10th saw get back under par but he was unable to capitalise on a birdie opportunity at 11. Another rightward leaning tee shot at 17 left him needing to punch an approach under tree branches. Facing a treacherous downhill pitch, Lowry was unable to rescue par and fell back to even.

After his drive trickled into the rough on 18, he was unable to attack the green and had settle for a par-5, casting his eyes skywards in annoyance as he departed for the scorers' tent.

"I'm disappointed," Lowry said after his round. "To be honest, I thought the lead was going to be a lot more than it's going to be. I thought the leader was going to be at least 15 (under) after today.

"That's what it makes it even more frustrating. I felt like I had a great chance to go out and grab this tournament by the scruff of the neck. But I didn't do it.

"But, I'm still in an okay position, that if I go out of shoot a good front nine tomorrow, then I'm back in the tournament.

"It feels a bit sour now but I'll chill out this evening and get out there tomorrow and get after it again."

Long, who shot into the mix in the quest for his maiden Tour win with in inward nine of 30 on Friday, battled away at the top of the leaderboard on Saturday, registering three birdies on the nine.

The German scrambled especially well amid some wild tee shots on the back nine, finishing with a closing birdie on the par-5 18th to finish on 13-under, one stroke clear of Smith.

Co-leader Shubhankar Sharma, who carded a season low front nine of 28 on Friday, went backwards in his third round, struggling to a three-over par 75.

Kilkenny's Mark Power is inside the top-20, his third round 70 leaving him at seven-under par.

Meanwhile, Tom McKibbin also posted a 70 to sit on four-under, Conor Purcell is a stroke further back on three-under par, while Padraig Harrington remains on two-under after an ever par 72 on Saturday.

Watch the final round of the Horizon Irish Open on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 1.10pm on Sunday

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