Rory McIlroy keen to 'put a nice shine' on golfing year with Irish Open victory
Rory 18th Green Ramsey On Pic: The Mcilroy Home Cardy/sportsfile Forts:
Rory McIlroy will look to put “a nice shine” on his golfing year at Royal County Down on Sunday after moving into pole position at the Amgen Irish Open with 18 holes left to play.
The world number three from Holywood, Co. Down, will take a one-shot lead over halfway frontrunner Mateo Manassero of Italy in Sunday’s final round of the DP World Tour event having posted a third-round, two-under-par 69 in the worst conditions of the week at the renowned links on Ireland’s east coast.
McIlroy had eagled the first hole of his round and carded two more birdies in the penultimate group of the day, playing ahead of Manassero, and despite a front-nine bogey at the par-four fifth had opened a two-stroke lead on the Italian who failed to recreate the magic of a second-round 66 on Saturday.
As Manassero struggled to a one-over 72, McIlroy looked in control in the windy conditions but even though he succumbed to a second bogey of the day at the 17th after sending his tee shot into a native area and laying up in the middle of the fairway, the Irishman declared himself satisfied with his day’s work.
“I'm very happy. I would have taken that score before going out today,” McIlroy said. “Conditions were very, very difficult. I thought I did well. After the really good start, just hanging in there and making as many pars as I could, picking up a birdie here and there, those are sort of bonuses.
“Yeah, overall, another very steady, solid day, and I've given myself a good chance tomorrow.”
McIlroy has a healthy lead at the top of the DP World Tour’s order of merit, the Race To Dubai, and has won on both sides of the Atlantic this year, in March at the Dubai Desert Classic then at Quail Hollow on the PGA Tour as well as in New Orleans in partnership with Shane Lowry.
Yet he has come up just short in the 2024 majors, settling for a 12th at the PGA Championship, and second at the US Open, also finishing fifth at the Olympics last month having given himself strong positions to win in each.
Asked what it would mean to reclaim the Irish Open title for the first time since his 2016b victory at The K Club, he replied: “It would be amazing. I'm excited to give myself a chance.
“The last couple 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.
“Yeah, I'm excited for the opportunity, and I can't get too far ahead of myself, but yeah, I'm excited to go out there and give it my all tomorrow.
“You know, after the sort of year that I've had and the close misses, it wouldn't make up for all of it, but it would go a long way in putting a nice shine on 2024.
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 the first three days.”
McIlroy will tee off his final round at 1:05pm on Sunday in the company of Manassero with fellow Holywood golf club member Tom McKibbin the next best-placed Irishman in a tie for 13th at level par following a third-round 70. Seamus Power will start the day at one over after an even 71 while Lowry slipped back on Saturday, his 74 taking him down to three over after 54 holes.
It was also a day when teenage amateur Sean Keeling ran out of steam.
Having opened with a bogey-free one-under 70 on Thursday, the 17-year-old from Roganstown had made the halfway cut with a one-over 72 but his third round was one to forget, an 81 in the worst of the day’s weather at the start of the day.
