McIlroy bogeyed the seventh after bunkering his strategy from the sting of a divot and sending his third over the inexperienced. However he took benefit of break on the 234-yard eighth the place his tee shot kicked down off the again of a bunker to fifteen ft and rolled within the putt to tie for the lead once more.
As Spaun bogeyed the eighth, Bhatia birdied the ninth to tie for the lead with McIlroy on 11-under.
Spaun birdied the ninth to regain a share of the lead however McIlroy birdied the par 5 eleventh from 13 ft to go one clear on 12-under when play was suspended as a result of an approaching thunderstorm.
As for the climate delay, McIlroy stated: “As soon as we obtained again on the market, I made the right begin once more with a birdie on 12.
“After which on the best way in, I really feel like I gave myself possibilities to shut the door and win this golf event And I did not fairly try this.
“So, you realize, gonna should do it the onerous approach and keep another night time and attempt to do it tomorrow.”
As for what it could imply for him to win his second Gamers Championship, he stated: “Yeah, it could imply an terrible lot. There’s not many a number of Gamers champions.
“Even Scotie has received the final two years. And, you realize, I’ve spoken loads concerning the truth how a lot I love Scottie. It might be good to get two like him and Tiger as nicely, I assume.
“However I’ve to place that out of my head and simply play three good holes within the morning, and hopefully that is ok.”
Play was delayed for 4 hours however inside eight minutes of the restart, McIlroy was three clear.
The Holywood star resumed by hitting a wedge to 13 ft on the twelfth and rolling within the putt as Spaun three-putted the eleventh for bogey within the match behind.
The Co Down man handed that shot again on the 14th, the place he needed to chip out to the golf green and he then noticed his lead diminished to a single shot when Spaun hit his strategy stone useless on the similar gap.
McIlroy had a putt to go two clear on the fifteenth however missed from lower than six ft, then opened the door when he failed from 11 ft for birdie on the sixteenth. Spaun made no mistake there, chipping useless from left of the inexperienced to attract degree on 12-under as McIlroy two-putted the seventeenth for his par after spinning up towards the collar of tough, 14 ft from the outlet.
On the 18th, McIlroy confronted a knee-knocking four-footer for par that introduced again recollections of his US Open misses final 12 months.
However he made no mistake and dodged a bullet when Spaun’s putt for victory got here up simply brief.
Spau stated he gained self-confidence from taking part in the final 5 holes in two-under to match McIlroy on 12-under.
“I feel this quantity of strain is essentially the most I’ve ever been underneath,” the 34-year-old stated. “So to essentially form of struggle by means of the adversity on the entrance 9, and to hit some clutch photographs and make some good birdies coming in, actually form of offers me that enhance of confidence that I that I want, and self perception.”
McIlroy is focussing on making “5 good swings” on the three playoff holes and Spaun believes it would take birdies to win.
“Positively some birdies,” he stated. “, he is an excellent participant. He’ll be powerful to beat. However this ultimate stretch, 16, 17, 18, something can occur. So I simply joyful to have an opportunity at it tomorrow.:.
Shane Lowry was happy to shut with a five-under 67 to tie for twentieth on four-under earlier than he performs the TGL semi-finals on Tuesday and heads to Tampa for the Valspar Championship and his ultimate warm-up for the Masters.
“I really feel like I form of rescued a half-decent week,” stated Lowry, who made six birdies and a double bogey on the eighth (his seventeenth) earlier than play was suspended, then got here again out and two-putted the ninth for a closing birdie.
“I felt like I’ve performed fairly good all week, but when any mistake was to be made, I made it. However that is simply this golf course.
“Whenever you’re taking part in the very best tournaments on the very best golf programs, it is simply onerous generally. I am pleased with the best way I went on the market at present.
“I rushed the shot on the eighth, making an attempt to get completed, however I hit an excellent shot into 9 and two putted that and I’m going to sneak a high 25, which is rarely a foul week, and get some world rating factors.”
Lowry plans to go Augusta the week earlier than the Masters, the place McIlroy will probably be fancied to problem for that inexperienced jacket.
