Shane Lowry ties the lead ahead of the final round of the Cognizant Classic at Palm Beach Gardens after a superb third round 66 on Saturday.
Lowry, who finished runner-up to Sepp Straka in the event in 2022, sits in a three-way tie for the lead on 13-under par alongside England's David Skinns and American Austin Eckroat.
Rory McIlroy, however, lies six adrift after a disastrous triple bogey on the 16th, which saw him slump to a third round 72.
Beginning the day three off the lead, Lowry made a dream start, birdieing three of his opening four holes.
On the first, he knocked his iron approach into 2ft, tapping in for birdie. After a par at the second, he took advantage of the par-5 third, reaching the green in two blows and two-putting for birdie.
Another birdie arrived on the fourth, Lowry draining a 21 footer from the left edge of the green to climb to -11.
Three birdies in his first four holes 👀@ShaneLowryGolf is tied for the lead @The_Cognizant. pic.twitter.com/RO1jHiXCEj
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 2, 2024
He managed to save par at the eighth despite driving into the penalty area, subsequently clipping a beautiful iron in close.
He began his inward nine with another birdie at the par-5 10th. He suffered his only dropped stroke at the 13th, missing a three footer for par, but finished his third round strongly.
Big momentum saver for @ShaneLowryGolf.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 2, 2024
The co-leader saves par after hitting his first shot in the penalty area on No. 8. pic.twitter.com/14m9daQUq9
First, he rolled in a five-footer for birdie at the dog-legged par-4 16th and then concluded with a smooth birdie at the par-5 18th, posting a 66 to reach -13 heading into Sunday.
Lowry said he enjoys the "tough golf" after rain and wind made conditions difficult.
"I like when everything is on the line a lot out there," Lowry said.
"I feel like I just know how to play the golf course. I feel like I've figured it out."
McIlroy, tied with Lowry on eight-under before Round 3, fell out of the reckoning with a triple-bogey on the 16th, which followed a dropped stroke on 15.
The four-time major winner had been steady for most of his round, finding a hot streak around the turn, birdieing 10, 11 and 13 to climb to 10-under and remain touch with the leaders.
A dropped stroke arrived after missing the green at the par-3 15th but that was a mere hiccup compared to what happened next.
McIlroy fired his approach at 16 into the water right of the green. He proceeded to remove his shoes and socks to take a swipe at the semi-submerged ball. The gamble backfired as the ball got caught on the bank and rolled back in the water.
The hole concluded with McIlroy missing a six-footer for double-bogey. He clawed back some of the damage with a birdie at the par-5 18th but was left to reflect on a costly closing stretch.
