| -6: R McIlroy (NI), D Lipsky (US), K Si-woo (Kor); -5: D McCarthy (US), V Hovland (Nor), W Clark (US), L Hodges (US), M Hubbard (US); -4: C Morikawa (US), H Matsuyama (Jpn), P Cantlay (US), P Rodgers (US), K Bradley (US) |
| Selected others: -2 D Willett (Eng), M Fitzpatrick (Eng), R Fowler (US), J Rahm (Spa) |
| Full leaderboard |
Rory McIlroy goes into the final round of the Memorial Tournament with “a great chance” of winning after a dogged third round lifted him into a share of the lead on six under.
The Northern Irishman’s two-under-par 70 on Saturday saw him climb six places on the leaderboard.
He leads with American David Lipsky (72) and South Korea’s Kim Si-woo (71).
“I need to stick to the gameplan, not get too ahead of myself or be too aggressive,” McIlroy told Sky Sports.
McIlroy, 34, has been focused on keeping the ball in play off the tee at the challenging Muirfield Village Golf Club in Ohio.
But he excelled on the greens in round three, needing just 22 putts all day – the fewest of anyone in the field.
The world number three added: “I am feeling more comfortable. I don’t think I am 100%. I am battling and hanging in there. The course is playing really tough and it’s about positioning your way around the course.
“It feels better. I keep saying this, I feel like I am not fighting the club face as much as I have been. I am able to release it a little bit more and just have a little more trust in it. This week, with how tough it’s playing, you need to trust it.”
McIlroy’s key moments saw him chip in from off the green for a birdie on the par-three 12th and – after dropping a shot on 16 – he fired an eight-iron from 178 yards to within 10 feet and holed the birdie putt on the 17th.
American Lipsky has never won on the PGA Tour and despite still holding a share of the lead, he dropped three shots in his last six holes on day three.
South Korea’s Kim was also not without his hiccups, posting double bogeys on holes three and 11, only to serve up six birdies to stay in contention.
American Justin Suh fell from his position as overnight leader to 14th after dropping four shots in the opening four holes of a five-over-par round.
And Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama – second overnight – was left to rue a triple bogey on 12 when he found water in a three-over-par round that saw him slip to joint ninth in the field.
