Phenom Rory McIlroy issues big warning to PGA Champions as Aussie Day postponed
Rory McIlroy enters Sunday’s final round at Quail Hollow in the Wells Fargo Championship with a round of 4-under 67 to fall within one stroke of leader Xander Schauffele.
Schauffele, who held a four-stroke lead heading into Saturday’s round, shot a 7-under 70 to finish between 12th and 54th.
Meanwhile, Jason Day, who started the round tied for second with McIlroy, had a tough round but finished with a respectable 2-over 73, thanks to a series of birdies late on.
After bogeys on the opening two holes the Australian dropped three more shots by hole 13 to sit five-over at that point. But three birdies in his next four holes pulled him back to fifth on the leaderboard heading into the final round at five-under overall, seven shots off the pace. A week that began with more talk about McIlroy’s role in trying to bridge the gap between golf and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League, along with confusion over his possible return to the PGA Tour’s board of directors, will likely end with the world number two battling for his second season title. It will also be his fourth victory on the Charlotte, North Carolina, course where he won his first PGA Tour title in 2010. Xander Schauffele shakes hands with Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland after completing the third round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 11, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Xander Schauffele shakes hands with Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland after completing the third round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 11, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Andrei
McIlroy’s decision to play in the Zurich Classic in New Orleans two weeks ago was seen by some as merely a commitment to the PGA Tour from a player who considers himself one of the best defenders.
But McIlroy insisted the tournament, which he won with Shane Lowry, would help him bounce back from a disappointing showing at the Masters, and his performance so far in North Carolina has fully justified the decision. Northern Irish was the only player without a bogey on the third round of Saturday, and he was in the best state with his driver in his hand.
MCILROY has won this week and is the best in brain blood vessels at the mileage this week. hole. He birdied again on the par-4 ninth, where his 180-yard iron shot left him with a ten-foot putt, and he was flawless on the par-5 10th.
His final birdie came on the par-4 14th and after his round, McIlroy was quick to credit his experience in Louisiana last month for his exceptional driving rather than his sessions with veteran coach Butch Harmon.
“I would say that’s a direct result of some of the feelings I got in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago. A lot of the stuff Butch and I worked on was more like iron play and wedges,” he said. “Driving is mostly about trying to hit the little shots you hit off the tee, and then every time you hit a good tee shot, you get more freedom, so you feel more confident, you want to hit more, and keep hitting him,” he added.
Schauffele causes sensation with questionable fall | 02:32
The American Schauffele birdied the par-5 seventh, but bogeyed the par-4 12th, missing an 11-foot putt to reach par, but birdied the 14th to finish with a one-under lead. After scores of 64 and 67 in the first round, Schauffele was disappointed with his performance on Saturday.
“Not as clean.” “Unfortunately, some sleepy wedges, some really good highs and lows, it’s a little bit mixed up. It definitely felt more difficult when I was in a good spot on the fairway,” he said. South Korea’s IM Sung-JAE is 4 shots from the head after 69, after the last two holes in contrast to the last two holes.
I was hit by the flag in Par 3 on the 17th. The balloon rolled in green, but was in a hurry to make a pier. On the 18th, he fell off the sand and saved steam.
Sep’s Austrian fasting is another blow after the 67th round.