Rory McIlroy Charges Up the Irish Open Leaderboard

The 34-year-old rebounded with an emphatic six under 66.

DUBLIN, Ireland — Rory McIlroy went to bed Friday night unsure if eight shots back of the leaders, Jordan Smith and Shubhankar Sharma was too much to overcome.

It took less than 24 hours for McIlroy to get his answer after a cracking six under 66—the fan favorite is just two shots back of German Hurly Long with Sunday’s final to come.

“I knew I needed to put the ball in the fairway a bit more off the tee which I did for the most part, and just gave myself plenty of looks,” McIlroy said after his lowest career round in the Irish Open. “I felt like maybe I needed to go a couple lower to get myself right in it, but the guys at the top haven't really went away from the field that much today.”

McIlroy finished on 11 under and almost two hours before the leaders. During that time, the space between McIlroy and the leaders got smaller and smaller, eventually putting the Ulsterman in the final group with Long (13 under) and 36-hole co-leader Smith (12 under).

Through three rounds, the world No. 2 has been getting progressively better and better, seeing more putts drop and on Saturday, finding more fairways, which in turn provided more looks at birdie.

“I got off to a lovely start with a birdie on one, took advantage of the par-5 4th hole and was fortunate to make a par from the tee shot on seven and from there I just felt like I was giving myself chance after chance,” McIlroy said. “Overall, a great day's play just felt very solid. I didn't feel like I did anything very special, but it added up to a great score and I've gotten myself a lot closer to the lead.”

McIlroy’s day had its complications, breaking his 3-wood on the tee marker at the second hole following a little casual love tap after a poor drive caused him to play with 13 clubs and use the 5-wood as a substitute.

The other obstacle was the par-5 16th hole, a pivotal place when McIlroy won the Irish Open in 2016. A plaque is in the fairway that commemorates a 3-wood from 273 yards that stopped to within kick-in distance for birdie and his only win at the Irish Open in 13 appearances.

It might have been the European Tour’s 2016 shot of the year but they know better at the K Club. A plaque to mark the stunning ‘thread the needle everything on the line’ 273 yard 3 wood that set up the birdie that took McIlroy from 1 behind to 1 in front & ultimately to victory. https://t.co/MtP7iPmXww

— Greg Allen (@gregallenRTE) May 5, 2020

In Friday’s third round, McIlroy knocked a gap wedge into the hole for eagle at the 16th, but on Saturday he hit the rocks twice, once finding the hazard and the second time luckily finding dry land to salvage a bogey.

Yet, McIlroy finds himself in the final trio with two players that have sporadic records this season.

Long is ranked 252nd in the world and in 2023 his accomplishments are two top 30s on the DP World Tour.

Smith is 85th in the world and has had chances with T6s at both the ISPS HANDA Championship and the Porsche European Open.

However, the final group of Smith, Sharma and Fisher were a combined nine-over on the front nine and a combined six over in the third round, which helped propel McIlroy into the spotlight.

“It feels like the crowd sort of live and die with every shot out there, which is great,” McIlroy said. “They’re wanting you to do just as well as I want myself to do. So. It’s great to have the support.”