McIlroy trails Scheffler by six heading into final round

Rory McIlroy started the week six shots behind Scottie Scheffler and he will have to overturn that deficit this evening if he is to become the first player to win three FedEx Cup titles. 

Both players are thirteen-under-par for their three rounds at East Lake but Scheffler leads McIlroy and Xander Schauffele (both –17) by half a dozen strokes on 23-under after a third round of 66. 

Round three was suspended overnight due to storms that hit the Atlanta area and McIlroy returned to complete the final two holes of his round and he finished with back-to-back birdies to move into a share of 2nd and the final group. 

In the end, it was a seven-under 63 while Schauffele failed to make any progress with a level-par 70. 

There were no signs of stalled momentum for McIlroy who rolled in a 13-footer on 17 for a birdie and two putted the par-5 18th and the four time major winner was pleased to finish his round strongly and admits he won’t do anything different as he faces the unlikely task of hunting down the world number one this evening. 

“It’s a perfect way to end the round. I think hitting the two good shots into 17 and converting that, and then the two good swings on 18, yeah, it’s the perfect way to start the day, and hopefully I can continue that into this afternoon,” said the 2016 and 2019 champion. 

“I think experience and memories are on my side, I guess, from ’16 and ’19. Yeah, I’m probably going to start a few shots back than where I would like to. I’d like to be a couple closer to the lead. But Scottie has got that advantage because of how well he’s played all year. 

“I mean, I can’t go out and do anything too differently really. The golf course is the golf course. I play it the way I play it. 

“It’s just a matter of if I can execute my game plan as well as possible and give myself a ton of birdie looks, and it’s still going to be receptive out there and it’s going to be very gettable. 

“You saw how many low scores there was there in the third round, and I think you’re going to see a continuation of that into this afternoon.”