Rory McIlroy currently sits near the top of the leaderboard heading into Sunday’s final round; McIlroy won his only other Irish Open when the event was held at the same venue in 2016 and is looking to repeat; watch the final round live from 12:30 on Sunday on Sky Sports Golf
17:27, UK, Saturday 09 September 2023
Rory McIlroy has been left cursing his luck as he battles to fight for a second Horizon Irish Open title at The K Club.
Back at the venue where he lifted the title in 2016, McIlroy started the third round eight shots off the lead but had no hope of mounting a charge to victory.
The four-time major winner got off to a good start with a birdie at the first and picked up another at the fourth, but then saw his birdie putt on the ninth horseshoe around the hole and miss.
McIlroy’s eagle chip from behind the 10th green also took the edge of the hole and stayed out, but a tap-in birdie took him to eight under par, five behind leaders Shubhankar Sharma and Jordan Smith.
McIlroy holed out from 116 yards for an eagle on the 16th in the second round, but it was a completely different story on the same hole 24 hours later.
Trying to reach the green in two, his approach from 225 yards in the semi rough found water in front of the green and from the drop zone his fourth shot hit a rock on the edge of danger, but bounced on the green. .
McIlroy narrowly missed a long par attempt and the resulting bogey dropped him four clear of the lead now held by Germany’s Hurly Long, with Smith making a double bogey at the seventh.
McIlroy responded well with birdies on the 17th and 18th, the latter coming after a 346-yard drive and nine-iron approach to the par-five.
The resulting 66 meant McIlroy was just one shot off the lead as he signed his card and spoke to waiting reporters.
“Bouncing back with two birdies on 17 and 18 after putting the ball in the water on 16 was huge, so overall a great day’s play,” McIlroy said.
“I didn’t feel that I did anything very special, but it added up to a great score and I brought myself closer to the lead when last night I felt that I would be a little bit behind.”
Watch the final round of the Horizon Irish Open at The K Club live from 12.30pm on Sunday on Sky Sports Golf.
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