Rory McIlroy finds himself at the top of the Open Championship leaderboard heading into the final round of the tournament, after carding a six-under-par 66 during Saturday's third round. McIlroy is not alone though as he is joined by Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland at the top on 16-under.
Hovland, himself put a superb third round together after also shooting a six-under new 66 to leave him tied at the top. Both McIlroy and Hovland were chasing down overnight leader Cameron Smith when they teed off on day three, and it was the latter who looked to make the move first.
After settling in with two early pars, Hovland burst up the leaderboard by collecting four successive birdies between the third and and sixth.
The Norwegian has proven to be one of the sport’s rising stars over the past two years, but has endured somewhat of a below par run - by his high standards - in recent months. Hovland was clearly looking to enter his name back into the conversation of the world’s elite though, and what better time to do that than Open week.
Meanwhile the youngster’s playing partner, McIlroy had of course been here before and got the T-shirt (or the Claret Jug) having won the famous title back in 2014 at Hoylake. By a man of the Northern Irishman’s standards, an eight-year wait for a major title is considered a drought, however the world No.2 looks keen to put that right this week.
Midway through Hovland’s birdie train Mcilroy also jumped aboard, picking up birdie’s at the fifth, sixth and then the ninth to move within one of the tournament’s new leader. Heading to the turn the Northern Irishman looked well in the mood, and what came at the very next hole at the tenth was no doubt the moment of the day.
Bursting with confidence the four-time major winner powered his tee shot down the burnt out fairway, but appeared to land himself in trouble when finding the bunker down the right. Finding the sand trap was the last thing McIlroy wanted after his quick flurry of birdies, but moments like this are where major champions are made.
The Northern Irishman had of course done that four times over, and looked in no mood to be stopped in his tracks to add a fifth. As a result the world No. 2 played a stunning trip from trouble onto the green, which took a hop, skip and a jump before rolling into the hole to the delight of St Andrews faithful.
The roar from the crowd would have been heard right down the Scottish coastline, with McIlroy’s piece of brilliance attracting the biggest cheer of the week so far. In the midst of the chaos, Hovland himself picked up a birdie to leave the playing partners level at the top on 15-under.
Throughout his career, when McIlroy is firing with the driver he is often hard to stop and this week was proving no different. After three straight pars, the Northern Irishman hit two mammoth hits down the par five 14th to leave him on the green in two. He would go on to two-putt for birdie, moving him to the tournament’s outright leader on 16-under for the very first time.
Overnight leader Smith meanwhile was struggling to get going in the final group, and after 12 holes found himself level-par whilst McIlroy and Hovland enjoyed a birdie fest ahead. Things then went horribly wrong for the Aussie when he came off the 13th with a double bogey six, but was able to limit some damage with a much needed birdie four on the following hole.
The first blemish on McIlroy's card came on the par four seventeenth as he picked up a bogey five, whilst Hovland tapped in for par to leave the leading two tied at the top heading to the 18th. On the famous final hole, both found the green from the tee and both came away with birdies to leave the Ryder Cup teammates tied on 16-under at the top heading into Sunday's final round.
