Rory McIlroy fired a bogey-free 65 however finds himself eight photographs behind Min Woo Lee heading into the ultimate spherical of the Texas Youngsters’s Houston Open.
As world primary Scottie Scheffler laboured to a one-under 69 to slide to joint third, 5 photographs behind the Australian, McIlroy chipped in for an eagle at his penultimate gap and stated he pleased with every part in his sport bar his driving forward of his last spherical earlier than the Masters.
“I needed to see myself drive it a little bit bit higher, which I have not actually seen,” McIlroy stated.
“It is onerous right here as a result of, , it is so huge that it entices you to simply arise and attempt to hit it as onerous as you’ll be able to, so accuracy is not a premium in any respect this week.
“Then I suppose, brief game-wise, like chipping, I needed that to be a little bit higher.
“I felt I used to be a little bit tentative with some chips at Sawgrass, however chipping’s been actually good this week.
“I scrambled effectively, in order that’s been good to see. Nonetheless really feel like I have to perform a little bit of labor off the tee and get the driving force discovered.”
Whereas he missed two putts inside seven toes, McIlroy made his share, rolling in birdies on the eleventh, 14th and par-five third earlier than chipping in for an eagle on the 601-yard eighth.
“I favored how I performed the par 5s on the second 9,” McIlroy joked. “It is a kind of golf programs the place you give your self a great deal of possibilities from like 20, 25 toes after which whenever you’re not changing any, it feels irritating.
“Like, I really feel like I performed OK. I stated final evening it is such a simple golf course to make a ton of pars, however then to make like a run of birdies nearly feels tough, however it nearly feels tough to make bogeys, too.
“However it was good to get on the market and play respectable. Definitely did not have my greatest, however shot a good spherical and hopefully one other good one tomorrow.”
He added: “I performed a bit higher, definitely scored a little bit bit higher the final two days. Hopefully finish the match with one other good one tomorrow.”
Like McIlroy in spherical one, Scheffler was caught in impartial and combined three birdies with two bogeys as he adopted his course record-equalling 62 with a 69.
The Grasp champion is tied for third on 12-under with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox (65) and Ryan Gerard (68), 5 photographs behind Lee, who shot 63 to steer by 4 photographs from Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti (65) on 17-under.
“I imply, actually, I simply assume on the greens might be the one distinction,” Scheffler stated of the distinction between his 62 and his 69.
“I really feel like yesterday I holed a bunch of putts, at the moment I really feel like I could not get the ball to go within the gap.”
Feeling that he struck the ball higher than he did in his 62, Scheffler added: “It is a humorous sport generally.
“Yesterday was a day the place I felt like I actually wanted to go to the vary and hit some balls and ensure issues have been feeling the best way I wanted to, and at the moment I felt like I used to be placing it loads higher, only a bit off.”
He has his work lower out to say his first win of 2025 after Lee (26) had simply 23 putts in his 63 as he chases his maiden PGA Tour win.
“I am positive I will exit and attempt to have an excellent spherical, not overthink issues, simply attempt to get off to an excellent begin,” Scheffler stated.
“Immediately I made some errors early within the spherical, just a few photographs I’d have favored to have had again, however general, hopefully be a little bit bit sharper tomorrow and transfer our means up the leaderboard.
As for big-hitting Lee, who has Shane Lowry’s former caddie Brian “Bo” Martin on his bag, the Australian surged clear because of a sizzling run of six birdies in a nine-hole stretch in the course of his spherical after finishing the ultimate two holes of a second spherical 64 earlier within the day.
“I simply bought informed that I had eight one-putts in a row or one thing like that and 10 putts in 10 holes,” he stated.
“I suppose it was a little bit autopilot early on. Very strong day once more.
“The final couple of days have been actually good. Immediately was a extremely lengthy day, I have to get again into mattress.
“However perhaps that is what I’ve to do; I might need to do two warmups, two physio classes, and perhaps I can shoot seven-under on a regular basis. No, it was nice enjoyable and really strong general.”
In the meantime, Leona Maguire made six birdies in a rollercoaster, one-under 71 to share 58th on five-under within the Ford Championship offered by Wild Horse Go in Arizona.
The Co Cavan star heads into the ultimate spherical 13 strokes behind Lilia Vu, who shot 68 to steer by two strokes from England’s Charley Hull (68) on 18-under in Chandler.
