McIlroy looms large as 66 thrusts him into Irish Open contention

Hurly Long. Picture: Getty Images

Rory McIlroy modestly contends he is not an intimidating figure, but he's now the favourite to win his second Horizon Irish Open after firing a six-under 66 to go into the final round just two shots behind Germany's Hurly Long at The K Club.

Despite breaking his three-wood as he made a frustrated "flick" at a tee marker on the sixth, the world number two bounced back from a bogey six at the 16th with two closing birdies that left him alone in third.
Long shot 70 to lead by a shot on 13-under from overnight leader Jordan Smith, who struggled to a 73.

But on a scorchingly hot day when Shane Lowry's exasperating 72 left him five shots behind in a tie for 13th, McIlroy cruised almost silently in contention and he's clearly the man to beat.

"I got off to a lovely start with the birdie on one, took advantage of the par-five fourth hole and I was fortunate to make par from the tee shot on seven (into the water) and from there, I just felt like I was giving myself a chance after chance," said McIlroy.

"I converted a couple of them, which was really nice. I think to bounce back with the two birdies on 17 and 18 after putting the ball in the water on 16 was huge. Overall a great day's play. It felt very solid.

"I didn't feel like I did anything very special, but it added up to a great score and you know, I've gotten myself a lot closer to the lead."

Sensing he had a chance as leaders Smith, Shubhankar Sharma (75) and Ross Fisher (74) covered the front nine in a combined nine-over, McIlroy almost chipped in for an eagle at the 10th, then rolled in a 24-footer at the 12th and a 15 footer at the 13th to move right into the mix.

With the tee moved up at the 556-yard 16th, where he holed a wedge for eagle on Friday, he went for the green with four-iron from 219 yards from semi-rough and watched it squirt right and ricochet off a rock into the Liffey.

He got lucky with his fourth from the drop zone, which came up short but bounced off another rock onto the green.

After getting away with a bogey there, he was thrilled to roll in a 16-footer at the 17th before reducing the 548-yard 18th to a drive, nine-iron and two putts from 25 feet.

As for the 16th, where he made a final round eagle in 2016 en route to victory, he said: "I got incredibly fortunate to hit the rock and go on the green.

"It's one of those holes, just because of the design of it and I think because of my length and being able to go for it a little bit, it provides a lot of drama and I'm sure it'll provide a bit more tomorrow."
McIlroy had planned to play conservatively and get the ball in play, but he didn't expect to use his five wood as much.

"I went to hit the top of that tee marker (on the sixth) and I caught the corner of the tee marker with the bottom on the shaft," he said, admitting he was irritated by his tee shot.

"It was a flick at it. I've done it a couple of times before this week and everything went okay, but that one didn't."

As for being an intimidating presence during the day, he said: "I don't think so. I don't think of myself like that. I certainly don't see myself as an intimidating character.

"I think the only way that I could have my presence be felt is if I'm actually playing with someone and they're looking at me hitting the shots and holing the putt it maybe affects something in that way, but I don't think so."

Lowry will be out earlier than planned after a day that started well when he made a 14-footer for birdie at the first.

But after missing a four-footer for par at the second, his putter remained cold and while he birdied the 14th, he had to scramble for pars on the back nine, then bogeyed the 17th and failed to birdie the last for a 72 that leaves him likely needing a round in mid-60s to have a chance,

"Yes, it is hard, you finish 5-5-5- there and to come in 10 minutes after you've finished, it is just difficult to get your head around it," Lowry said. "I feel like I did a lot well today, especially early on in my round.

"I tried to stay as patient as I could but then I got very scrappy on the back nine and I didn't play great. But, you know, that's golf and that's it.

"I need to go out there tomorrow and shoot a low front nine and get myself back in the tournament."
Hoping that’s his bad day out of the way, he was disappointed not to give the 25,000 crowd what they wanted.

"I probably tried too hard on the back nine today, I had some putts and I am just trying to will them in and they weren't going in," he said. "It just gets frustrating.

"The crowds were amazing out there and I was just trying to do something to give them something to roar about because I didn't give them much to roar about. Hopefully I can do that tomorrow."

World number 252 Long is seeking his first DP World Tour title, but with the top 31 on the leaderboard covered by just six shots and two-time runner-up Ryan Fox only three behind in a six-way tie for fourth, the final round promises to be a cavalry charge.

Kilkenny's Mark Power (23) is 21st in seven-under, just six shots off the pace on his professional debut after a 70 and he's determined to push on.

"I honestly didn't set myself much of a goal at the start of the week, just give it everything I can and see where it leaves me," he said.

"Obviously, now I've a better idea of where I stand, so I'm just going to try and keep climbing. There is no real number I have in mind, just keep climbing."

Tom McKibbin shot 70 to share 44th on four-under with Portmarnock's Conor Purcell a shot further back after a 71.

Pádraig Harrington got to five-under with seven to play but finished poorly and signed for a 72 that left him where he started the day on two-under.

After poor tee shots led to bogeys at the 14th and 15th, he birdied the par-five 16th but then drove into the Liffey and made a double-bogey six at the tough 17th.

"It was OK up until the end and got away from me, which is a pity," said Harrington, who at least felt better than one of his playing partners, the Spaniard Santiago Tarrio, who made four visits to the Liffey at the 16th and ran up a septuple bogey 12 in a round of 89.