Trick or treat? Nothing ghoulish from Rory McIlroy, just more Turkish delight as the world number three shot a third consecutive round of 67 – for 201, 15-under-par – to muscle his way into contention in the Turkish Airlines Open here on The Montgomerie at the MaxxRoyal resort.
Frenchman Victor Dubuisson and South African Jaco Van Zyl shared the 54-hole lead on 16-under-par, but with McIlroy's intimidating presence a shot behind. The Northern Irishman's round exploded to life with an eagle on the Par 5 13th, where he used one of the floodlighting pylons as his marker for a 4-iron approach from 229 yards that hit an upslope and trundled down towards the flag.
“That second shot in there was probably partly luck and partly a good shot. It’s tough to stop it where that pin is, but to be able to make three there I thought was a big bonus . . . I picked a line somewhere. Had to go a little bit right of one of the floodlights. So just had to make sure I missed the floodlight and I knew it would be an okay shot.”
In following up that eagle with a birdie on the Par 3 14th and finishing with a two-putt birdie on the 18th, McIlroy manoeuvred his way into a challenging position in his bid to claim a first European Tour title since May and also to strengthen his position at the top of the Race to Dubai standings as the Order of Merit enters the final phase.
McIlroy also commented on the latest surgery undergone by Tiger Woods, who had a third procedure on his back performed on Friday. "He obviously needed it. But I mean, it looks like it's a long road to recovery for him. I just hope he gets better, not just to play golf, but just for sort of every day life, being able to do everyday things more than anything else. Yeah, not good to see.
“I guess that’s his third back surgery in a year and a half. Like someone once said, the best way to avoid your fifth back surgery is to avoid the first one. But it’s a procedure he needed. I mean, it’s tough. I just hope he gets better . . . he has that mindset that he can overcome things and he’s overcome things before. So I wouldn’t put it past him. But as I said, I think it’s a long road ahead.”
Shane Lowry was still looking for a spark after a third-round 69 for 207 left him in tied-12th position. A birdie-eagle blitz on the third and fourth hole seemed set to give Lowry momentum going forward, but his run hit a speed bump with a double-bogey five on the Par 3 fifth.
"It's a horrible hole," claimed Lowry of the Par 3, with Ian Poulter concurring. The Englishman is five over on that hole through the three rounds. In Lowry's case, the hole doesn't favour his draw. "It's the hardest hole on the course," said the Offalyman, who hopes to find the missing ingredient for Sunday's final round.
As Lowry put it, “I don’t feel like I am playing well. My confidence is not great, but to be in the position I am in not playing great is good, it’s a positive. I am going to go again to hit a few balls on the range and see if I can find something . . . you can shoot a nine-under or 10-under if you go mad! It’s all about getting off to a good start and to keep it going.”
For Graeme McDowell, it was a disappointing third round that saw him suffer three bogeys in his opening five holes. Ultimately, McDowell was nine shots worse off than his second round, recording a 73 for 208 that saw him slip down eight places to tied-16th.
