Rory McIlroy is just two shots off the lead after a spectacular eagle finish on the final hole, heading into Sunday's final round of the European Tour's PGA Championship at Wentworth.
The two-time US Masters champion, one of only six golfers to have won all four of the sport's major titles, posted a round of 69 on Saturday, three under par. This places him in a tie for sixth at eleven under par, alongside four other players all vying for the title. However, things weren't quite going to plan for the 37-year-old Northern Irishman after eleven holes, as he was one over par for the day. But McIlroy once again showed his class with birdies on the 12th and 17th, before then hitting a superb 4-iron from 230 yards so close to the flag that he had a tap-in for eagle on the final hole at Wentworth.
“This was a day where you really had to take advantage of the par-fives; that’s where the scoring opportunities were,” McIlroy analyzed to DP World (European) Tour media. “The wind was crazy; it was really difficult to trust it to do what you expected. But I stayed patient, and that patience really paid off over the last few holes.”
Manuel Elvira from Spain and Filippo Celli from Italy will head into the final day at thirteen under par. Right behind them are Alejandro del Rey, JJ Spaun, and Johannes Veerman, who are at twelve under par. The whole thing is still wide open on Sunday; anything can happen!
McIlroy is eager to overtake Patrick Reed and claim his record-breaking eighth Race to Dubai title – the trophy that crowns the European Tour's best player. At the same time, he's chasing his second PGA Championship title on a course he knows like the back of his hand.
“Tomorrow (Sunday), I have a big opportunity on both fronts,” McIlroy said. “I would love to win this tournament again. It’s been twelve years, and I have so many incredible memories of Wentworth. I was here for the first time as a ten-year-old to watch the World Matchplay... And now? I’ve won this event, played countless rounds here, and we even have a house on the grounds. This place simply has an incredible amount of history for me, so I hope I have a really good day tomorrow and can secure a real chance again.”
