Rory McIlroy is in pole position to secure his second Irish Open title after posting a two-under-par 69 on day three at Royal County Down.
The Northern Irishman, who hails from nearby Holywood, leads by one on six under par with Matteo Manassero one stroke behind after carding a one over 72 in blustery conditions at the famous links.
McIlroy was one of only four players to break 70, with none of them managing to better his effort, and the four-time Major winner made his intentions clear from the off with an impressive eagle at the par five first after a glorious approach from the right rough to five feet.
He bogeyed the fifth for the third day in succession but then returned to red numbers with another sublime approach to the short par three seventh.
The 35-year-old threatened to burst clear when he holed from 32 feet for birdie on the 13th but a second dropped shot of the day at the last, following a wayward drive, meant his advantage halved to one ahead of Sunday’s final round.
McIlroy will tomorrow bid to win in his home country of Northern Ireland for the first time as a professional and seal the island of Ireland’s national open title for the second time, after capturing his first in 2016 at The K Club.
PERFECT START
“I definitely would have taken the score before I went out today. I got off to the perfect start making an eagle on one and then it was just a matter of trying to par as many holes as possible and if you picked up a birdie here and there, it was a bonus. I think to shoot in the 60s today in those conditions was obviously a really good effort and that puts me in a good position going into tomorrow,” said McIlroy.
Manassero mixed four bogeys with three birdies but was unable to make the 52-footer on the last that would have sent him into Sunday with a share of the lead.
Robert MacIntyre is looking to make history of his own on Sunday as he bids to become the first player to win both the Irish Open and the Scottish Open in the same season, and he will go into day four just three off the lead in a tie for third. The two-time PGA Tour winner is joined on three under par by Rasmus Højgaard, Jordan Smith and Erik van Rooyen.
They are one shot clear of another quartet, with Laurie Canter, Aaron Cockerill, Calum Hill and Adrian Otaegui on two under, one stroke ahead of Daniel Brown and Filippo Celli, who are the only other players under par.