Rory McIlroy keeps hopes of ending nine-year Major drought alive with real roller-coaster ride in USPGA Championship
RORY MCILROY rode a Rochester roller-coaster, as he emerged from a third round packed with twists still clinging to his hopes of ending a nine year drought in the Majors.
The four-time Major winner – who has not tasted success at this level since 2014 experienced some thrilling highs at the start of the third round of the USPGA Championship, before plunging back to earth with an ugly hat-trick of bogeys.
But he was back on the right track with three birdies on the back nine only for a fourth bogey on 17 to slam the brakes on.
At one under par, Major number five is still just about within reach – although he will have to take a leaf from the Justin Thomas playbook, after he came from seven shots off the lead to win last year’s USPGA.
McIlroy’s Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood also had an eventful day, and he went to bed dreaming of a repeat of his heroics in upstate New York five years ago.
Fleetwood equalled the best final round score in any Major with a final round 63 in the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills – just sixty miles away from here across the Long Island Sound.
The Southport star also shot one of the best rounds seen at Oak Hill this year, with a two under par 68 despite being battered by torrential rain for all 18 holes.
Fleetwood, 32, often gives the impression he is at his best when the going gets tough in the Majors, and he added weight to that theory with another battling performance.
But at one over par, he knows he will have to go a lot lower today to go one better than his runner-up finish at that 2018 US Open.
He said: “Another 63 would be nice wouldn’t it – if you offered me that I’d take that and not move a muscle tomorrow- just take my chances that finishing six under would be good enough.
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“But look, I’m proud of the way I played today. The rain was relentless when we were out there, and it made the course just brutal. It played so long, and the rough was thick and wet.
“I’ve had a couple of runner-up finishes in the Majors now as well as a couple of fourths, so I know how to get the best out of my game in these circumstances. Hopefully, I’ll do that again in the final round.”
McIlroy found himself having to play catch up after poor starts on each of the first two days, but this time he came out looking like he meant business.
He missed just one fairway in the opening six holes, and hit gorgeous shots at both of the early par threes.
The world No 3 converted birdie putts from around six feet on both those short holes to move into a share of sixth at two under par, just three shots behind 36 hole leaders Scottie Scheffler, Corey Conners, and Viktor Hovland.
But it started to turn sour with a bogey at the dreaded sixth – the toughest hole in Major championship history over the first two days.
McIlroy had to sink a six and a half footer to avoid a double. But it looked like the wind had gone out of his sails, and that impression was confirmed by further bogeys at eight and nine.
But he was not the only player finding Oak Hill’s toughest stretch of holes ultra-testing in the soggy conditions.
By the time the rain finally eased off, after the final group had played seven holes, world No 2 Scheffler – installed as a hot favourite before play the third round started – had TRIPLED his number of bogeys for the tournament.
He dropped just two shots in the first 36 holes, but gave four back in that seven hole stretch, while playing partner Conners dug deep and played those holes in one under par.
But as the umbrellas were put away, the rain-soaked course started giving up more birdies – bad news for Fleetwood and fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, who also made up plenty of ground with a one under par 69.