CHARLOTTE, N.C — When Rory McIlroy rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole, he started thinking about shooting 59. ADVERTISING CHARLOTTE, N.C — When Rory McIlroy rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole, he
CHARLOTTE, N.C — When Rory McIlroy rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole, he started thinking about shooting 59.
He didn’t quite get there Saturday, settling for an 11-under 61 to break the Quail Hollow record and take a four-shot lead in the Wells Fargo Championship.
After making nine birdies in a 10-hole stretch, the top-ranked McIlroy pushed his 7-iron on the par-3 17th hole to the right side of the green 40 feet from the cup. He settled for par and the dream was dashed.
“I was little disappointed with not finishing it off the way I wanted to, but still it was a great run,” McIlroy said.
It was McIlroy’s best round on the PGA Tour, but not his best ever.
He said he had a putt for 59 on the 18th hole at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida, leading up to the Masters, but missed it.
“I left it short,” McIlroy said with a laugh.
He didn’t leave much short Saturday.
He started the balmy afternoon three shots behind Webb Simpson and Robert Streb.
But after two pars to start the day made five birdies on the front nine for a 31. He didn’t let up on the back, birdieing six of the first seven holes.
McIlroy had a sense early on this could be his day to go low after he saw Justin Thomas shoot a 65 and a few others go low in the morning.
“I knew that there were scores out there to be had — and I got a little more aggressive,” McIlroy said.
That included driving the green on the 345-yard, par-4 14th hole for the fourth time in his career — more than any player in tournament history.
“I feel like it’s one of these courses I can get on a roll with,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy is looking to become the first two-time winner of the event. At 18-under 198, he’s on pace to shatter the tournament record of 16 under set by Anthony Kim in 2008.
McIlroy said the Quail Hollow course sets up perfectly for him, which is why he decided to play the event after some debate.
He set the previous course record of 62 in the final round of his 2010 Wells Fargo victory, and Brendon de Jonge matched it last year.
“It’s funny that it has happened here again,” McIlroy said.
Simpson was second after three rounds, four strokes back after a 68. Streb shot a 71 and was seven shots behind heading into the final round on Sunday.
Phil Mickelson was playing well before a triple bogey on the 18th hole, which has become his nemesis. That dropped Mickelson to 71 on the day and left him 10 shots behind McIlroy and out of contention for a tournament he has never won.
Mickelson double bogeyed the 18th hole Thursday.
When asked what he took away from McIlroy’s round, playing partner Will MacKenzie said: “That he’s way better than me at golf.”
“It’s going to be tough to beat him,” MacKenzie said. “I’m glad that he doesn’t play every week. I mean that guy, he’s just — he’s head and shoulders above me.”
McIlroy’s run proved to be a bit demoralizing for the competition.
Simpson looked up at the scoreboard after his own birdie at 13 figuring he was tied for the lead, only to learn he was three shots back.
“I gave that look like, ‘Oh, really — on this golf course?’” Simpson said.
Six players have shot 59 in official PGA Tour events. Al Geiberger did it in the 1977 Memphis Classic, Chip Beck in the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational, David Duval in the final round of his 1999 victory in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, Paul Goydos in the 2010 John Deere Classic, Stuart Appleby in the 2010 Greenbrier Classic and Jim Furyk in the 2013 BMW Championship.
KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — France’s Perrine Delacour took advantage of Alison Lee’s late two-hole meltdown to take the third-round lead in the Kingsmill Championship.
The 21-year-old Delacour, winless in two seasons on the LPGA Tour, birdied three of the final five holes for a 4-under 67. She had an 11-under 202 total on Kingsmill Resort’s River Course.
After opening a four-stroke lead, the 20-year-old Lee dropped back with a bogey on the par-4 16th and a double bogey on the par-3 17th. She finished with a 70, leaving her a stroke behind.
Paula Creamer, So Yeon Ryu and Minjee Lee were 9 under. Creamer shot 66, Ryu 68, and Minjee Lee 69.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko was tied for 20th at 3 under after a 70.
REGIONS TRADITION
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Jeff Maggert birdied the final two holes for a 4-under 68 and sole possession of the lead after the third round of the Champions Tour’s Regions Tradition.
Finishing in heavy rain, Maggert reached 14 under after entering the day tied for the top spot with Kevin Sutherland at Shoal Creek. Sutherland was a stroke back. His birdie attempt on No. 18 was short by a couple of inches to set up a tap-in for a 69 under the downpour.
Fred Funk was third at 18 under after a 67. He won the tournament in 2008 and 2010 and nearly closed the gap further on No. 18, grimacing after a near-miss for birdie.
