Rory McIlroy’s hopes of successfully defending his Scottish Open title are on the ropes as the world number two finds himself five shots back heading into the fourth and final round at The Renaissance Club.
Four birdies and a solitary bogey over his opening nine holes had the defending champion in good stead as he headed for the back nine, and another birdie at the par-5 10th saw him move to within two strokes of the lead, but a series of missed birdie putts – three in succession on 15, 16 and 17 – and a sloppy bogey on the last saw him end the day five shots adrift of Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg and he’ll need to shoot the lights out in the final round if he’s to get 2024 win number four this week.
“Yeah, it is,” he replied when asked if the vibe was similar to days one and two where he felt he’d left several shots out there. “Four-under through 10 today, and then yeah, similar sort of — the birdies dried up. Kept hitting good shots. Especially the last few holes. Missed, I think I had three 8-footers on 15, 16, 17 for birdie that I didn’t convert, and you know, bogey on the last.
“So the last four holes, I’ve probably played them the worst that I could, which is unfortunate because I felt like I could have been right up there, sort of at 15-under around the lead, and to give one away at the last is disappointing.
“But depending what the guys do coming in, I’ll be within three or four, and at least still have a shot if I get off to a good start tomorrow.”
It would turn out to be five shots as Aberg, who’d covered the opening ten in -4, recovered from back-to-back bogeys on 11 and 12, but birdied three of the remaining six to move to -17 and open up a two-stroke lead over home favourite Bob MacIntyre, with Adam Scott one shot further back in solo third.
“Similar to what Bob did today,” McIlroy said when asked how he could give himself a chance at nabbing win number four. “You get off to a good start, and you sort of try to ride that momentum. I didn’t get off to quite as fast of a start on the front nine as did I yesterday.
“But that’s sort of what I’m going to need tomorrow. Going to need to be at least 3-under through five to get myself right up there around the lead and from there just try to keep it going.”
“It’s good to have the opportunity,” he added when informed that nobody has ever mounted a successful defence at the Scottish Open. “As I said I wish I was two or three shots better off but yeah, it’s another opportunity to go out there and try to win a very prestigious tournament that’s got a lot of history, and as I said, I just didn’t get off to a good start, and try to ride that momentum.”
While McIlroy has an outside chance at victory, Seamus Power’s hopes of playing his way into the Open Championship are all but dead after the Waterford man shot a three-over 73 and falls to 71st on the leaderboard.
Aberg, who turned pro just over a year ago, has rapidly become one of the game’s elite players and with the Scottish Open co-sanctioned by both the DP World and PGA Tours, has the opportunity to become a multiple winner on both tours inside 14 months.
“Not the most stress-free golf but it was a good score again,” was the Swede’s assessment. “I’m pleased with the way I hung in there and finished it out.
“Felt like I was swinging well and hitting the putts the way I wanted to and tried to read them. Then obviously when a putt like that goes in on 13, it gives you a little bit of an extra boost I guess. It doesn’t change anything. We just tried to hit the best shot the best we can and take it from there.
“I like looking at leaderboards. I think it’s important to know where you’re standing, and I did that today, and I saw some really good scores early on. It makes you hungry and it makes you stay on the front foot and be aggressive, and felt like I did that well today.
“It will be fun. Looks like I’m playing with Bob as well, so it will be a cool pairing and looking forward to it.”
MacIntyre has taken his game to new levels since earning a Ryder Cup place and becoming a PGA Tour winner, but has singled out his home Open as being the tournament he covets most.
“I’ve not been shy in saying it,” he admits. “The Scottish Open is the one I want. It’s not going to change tomorrow. I’m in that position. I’ve been doing good things. I’ve been playing well. Not just this week but for the previous kind of eight weeks, I feel like my game has been in good shape. Tomorrow is just another round of golf, and I’ve just got to control me and if I do that well, then I’m going to be in with a chance.”
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