Rory McIlroy carded a third-round 69 to take a one-shot lead into the ultimate spherical of the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down.
The final time Royal County Down hosted the Amgen Irish Open in 2015, event host McIlroy missed the reduce with rounds of 80 and 71.
9 years later, the world quantity three will head into Sunday’s last spherical forward of Matteo Manassero in pursuit of what can be his first skilled win on Northern Irish soil.
With the opening three holes taking part in straight downwind, McIlroy’s eagle on the par-five first was the tenth of the day – his compatriot Tom McKibbin was inches away from an albatross – and, after dropping a shot on the fifth, the four-time main winner birdied the seventh to maneuver into the outright lead.
One other birdie on the thirteenth regarded set to assist McIlroy set up a extra sizeable lead, however a bogey on the final meant he needed to accept the joint-lowest rating of the day and a 54-hole whole of six-under-par.
In a single day chief Manassero, who gained his first DP World Tour title in additional than 10 years in South Africa in March, battled to a 3rd spherical of 72 to complete 5 underneath, with Robert MacIntyre, Jordan Smith, Erik van Rooyen and Rasmus Hojgaard all on three underneath.
MacIntyre had been 4 over par after seven holes of spherical two, however performed the remaining 11 in 5 underneath and was delighted to match McIlroy’s 69 on Saturday.
Victory tomorrow would make MacIntyre the primary participant to win the Scottish Open and Irish Open in the identical season.
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McIlroy ‘in nice place’ to safe maiden win in Northern Eire
McIlroy was happy along with his third spherical of 69 performed in testing circumstances, with winds gusting as much as 35mph.
“I definitely would have taken the score before I went out today,” he mentioned. “Got off to the perfect start making a three on one and then it was just a matter of trying to par as many holes as possible.
“If you happen to picked up a birdie right here and there it was a bonus however I believe to shoot within the 60s at present in these circumstances was a very good effort and it places me in an important place going into tomorrow.
McIlroy shot a third-round 69 to maneuver forward of in a single day chief Matteo Manassero
“The last couple of times I’ve played in Northern Ireland it hasn’t really panned out the way I wanted so to play a good three days here and be in the final group and give myself a chance tomorrow, I’m excited for the opportunity.
“After the kind of yr that I’ve had and the shut misses it would not make up for all of it, however it will go a good distance in placing a pleasant shine on 2024 for me.
“I can’t get that far ahead of myself, I need to go out and play another very solid round tomorrow to try to get the job done but I’m pleased with how the first three days have gone.”
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