Rory McIlroy is best when he has control of his own destiny. Like in the here and now, in his latest quest – at this 89th Masters tournament – to finally slot the missing piece of the Grand Slam jigsaw into place.
A spine-tingling third round of 66, which included a historic opening sequence of six straight threes and which would feature two eagles, for 12-under-par 204 enabled the 35-year-old Northern Irishman to move to the top of the leaderboard, two shots clear of Bryson DeChambeau, the very man who proved his nemesis at last year’s US Open.
Revenge or redemption won’t be on McIlroy’s mind for the final round showdown where the two protagonists can see the whites in each other’s eyes ... for him, it is all about chasing history, about – finally – getting to add a green jacket to his wardrobe, and to claim a first Major since his US PGA success in 2014. But, this time, with the promise of joining the greats.
His to win, and his to lose!
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Rory McIlroy’s spine-tingling third round puts him in control of his Masters destiny
McIlroy is headed into the final round with a two-shot lead on DeChambeau and four clear of Corey Conners in solo third, while Shane Lowry unfortunately suffer a bogey-bogey finish for a 72 for 211, seven shots off the lead in tied-sixth.
McIlroy revealed ahead of the tournament that he had swapped his usual non-fiction reading material for a novel by a John Grisham. Appropriately, the title of the work of fiction is “The Reckoning,” and, even more appropriately, the world number two moved himself within touching distance of achieving a place in history and into a final day of reckoning.
Only five men – Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods – have ever achieved the career Grand Slam of winning all four men’s Majors. Year after year, since 2014, McIlroy has travelled down Magnolia Lane in hope and expectation. Is this his time? Can he join golf’s most elite club of all?
“I think I still have to remind myself that there’s a long way to go. I, just as much as anyone else, know what can happen on the final day here. You know, I’ve got a lot of experience. I came in here talking about being the most complete version of myself as a golfer, and I just have to keep reminding myself of that and remind myself that no matter what situation or scenario I find myself in [Sunday], I’ll be able to handle it,” admitted McIlroy.
This time, more than ever, it is in his own hands; this time, he can control his own destiny, even if DeChambeau – his tormentor in chief at the US Open in Pinehurst last June – is the man again in his sights.
For a second straight round, McIlroy claimed the low score of the day. And on a magical Saturday where the galleries, from the very first hole, roared their acclaim for each step of the journey, McIlroy – who had started two shots behind Justin Rose – quickly forged into the lead with an exhilarating display of golf.
From the start, this was his day.
A remarkable run of six successive 3s to start – a sequence that went birdie-eagle-birdie-par-birdie-par – saw McIlroy, without a Major title dating back to his 2014 US PGA Championship, move ominously to the top of the leaderboard where he remained until his final putt, a tap-in for par on the 18th, for a third round 66 for 204 left him.
“I am quite a sort of momentum player. There is a balance, though. You know, you have to sort of try to ride that momentum as much as you can but then also temper it with a little bit of, you know, rationale and logic. And so it’s a fine dance. But I certainly don’t want to be a robot out there, but at the same time I don’t want to be too animated, either,” said McIlroy of managing his mind and tempo in the midst of such a run of scoring.
The round contained two eagles which literally prompted roars akin to those which once reserved for Tiger Woods: his first eagle came with a chip-in from the back of the par 5 second hole, but his second, on the par 5 15th, was one which showcased his power off the tee and his skill with iron in hand. McIlroy was walking as soon as he struck the iron, so pure did it sound, and the ball settled eight feet from the flag. He rolled in the eagle, to move four shots clear at that time.
That gap, though, was closed by DeChambeau late-on who finished birdie-birdie – outrageously holing a putt from 40 feet on the 18th – for a 69, a third round in the 60s, for 206.
Justin Rose, who had led through 36-holes, struggled – especially with the putter – in posting a 75 for 211, that saw him drop to tied-sixth on the same number as Lowry, Jason Day and Scottie Scheffler.
Lowry, unsurprisingly, was disappointed having played so well for so long of his third round only to be penalised from loose shots coming in – a poor tee shot down the left into trees on the 17th and then failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker on 18 – which spoiled his scorecard.
“I felt like I let a really good day go there at the end, so I’m obviously disappointed. But I just have to pick myself up and get some rest tonight and get after it tomorrow. I’ve a late tee time here on Sunday, obviously a few back from the leader but, I’m in a nice position and things can happen around here ... it’s just a very unfortunate finish. I’m very disappointed. But that’s this game. If I play the way I can play, I’ll be there or thereabouts,” said Lowry.
