Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland take a four-shot lead into the ultimate round of the one hundred and fiftieth Open Championship after a scintillating duel over the Old Course.
The Ryder Cup team-mates delighted the St Andrews crowd as they each shot six-under-par 66s to lead on 16 beneath.
McIlroy, who’s making an attempt to finish an eight-year main drought, holed a bunker shot for an eagle two on the par-four tenth however had his solitary bogey on the seventeenth.
Cameron Smith and Cameron Young are joint second on 12 beneath par.
Overnight chief Smith, who led by two at the beginning of play after a nerveless placing show on Friday, spluttered on the primary, lacking a three-footer for par, and that set the tone for the Australian, who carded a 73 and was considered one of solely two gamers within the high 20 to shoot over par.
A run of seven pars adopted his bogey at the primary, dropping him down the leaderboard as these round him made birdies and eagles in probably the most benign situations of the week.
Hovland struck the early blows with a run of 4 birdies from the third to get to 14 beneath however McIlroy hit again with three of his personal by the ninth.
That drew the Northern Irishman stage with Smith and put him one behind Hovland.
But a sensational tenth gap noticed the world quantity two hit the highest of the leaderboard.
McIlroy visited the sand for the primary time this week, with an errant tee shot. He backed off his ball a few instances earlier than settling and hanging the proper blow, his ball touchdown a dozen toes in need of the pin and rolling in. The cheers that greeted it startled world primary Scottie Scheffler who was about to tee off on the adjoining par-three eleventh.
Hovland smiled, as Hovland does. The world quantity 9 composed himself and received down in two from the entrance of the inexperienced for a birdie. The pair locked on 15 beneath.
They would keep that manner for 3 holes, breaking the stress with fun and a joke whereas ready on the twelfth tee. McIlroy mentioned at the beginning of the week “boring golf” was wanted to win a serious. Par. Par. Par.
To the 14th. The longest gap on the course. Hovland simply quick in two. McIlroy turned the screw, hammering an iron into the guts of the inexperienced. A two-putt birdie heaped strain on the Norwegian. Three putts. Par. The roars rising louder as they headed again in direction of city.
Meanwhile, Smith was melting on the thirteenth. With his toes in a bunker and the ball at waist peak, he tried the sort of shot solely Seve Ballesteros may play. A wild swipe careered into extra bother. The world quantity six tried once more to advance his ball to the inexperienced. It went left and a double-bogey six was marked on the cardboard as he tumbled to 11 beneath.
From three behind in a single day, McIlroy was now 5 forward of Smith, who is aware of tips on how to win on the large stage, having claimed the PGA Tour’s flagship Players Championship in March.
Smith’s taking part in companion Cameron Young performed steadily, the American selecting up birdies at the 2 par-five holes and the quick par-four ninth and tenth holes to maintain the leaders in sight at 14 beneath after 14. But a horrible chip by way of the inexperienced on the sixteenth led to a double bogey.
Up forward, McIlroy and Hovland adopted one another over the again of the inexperienced on the treacherous par-four seventeenth.
McIlroy’s chip from close to the wall crept on to the inexperienced however the 24-foot par putt sidled six inches extensive.
Hovland selected to putt from a gravel path and knocked his ball to 4 toes and holed for par, his eighth in succession.
They have been locked once more at 15 beneath, McIlroy’s mantra of “boring golf” wins majors ringing true.
And that grew to become 16 beneath three blows in a while the 18th – a gap that ranked as the simplest on the course, nearly guaranteeing a birdie.
Except for Smith and Young, whose rounds fizzled out with scruffy pars.
Others briefly challenged however then faltered within the closing holes. Scheffler improved from eight beneath to 12 beneath with a birdie on the eleventh, whereas Dustin Johnson additionally reached that mark on the tenth.
Scheffler gave his shot again at the twelfth although and dropped one other on the seventeenth earlier than ending with a birdie and an 11-under complete after a three-under 69 – the identical rating as South Korea’s Kim Si-woo, who had a 67.
That was one higher than Johnson, who had three bogeys on the again 9 as he signed for a 71.
The English problem sits seven again. Tommy Fleetwood had the higher day with a 66 to get to 9 beneath, whereas US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick’s 69 lifted him to the identical complete.
More to comply with.
