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Rory McIlroy soars to six-shot lead

Irishman overcomes challenge by Fowler and takes up driver's seat

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Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy in action during the third round of the British Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Course in Hoylake, on Friday
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Just for that one brief moment, Rory McIlroy seemed fallible as he bogeyed the 12th from inside six feet a few moments after Rickie Fowler, playing in the group ahead, birdied the same hole.

The two young talents from either side of the Atlantic and both 25 years of age were now tied at 12-under. It was also the first time anybody had shared the lead with McIlroy in this tournament since he finished his first round mid-afternoon on Thursday.

Fowler and McIlroy parred the 13th. Then McIlroy birdied the 14th, parred the 15th and then stepped up the gas on the 16th. A momentary halt followed in the form of a bogey on 17th, his third of the day.

Soon after he bombed a drive down the 18th and followed it up with a sublime second shot and holed an 11-footer for his second eagle of the day. He finished at four-under 68 following on 66-66 on first two days.
Ahead, Fowler simply unravelled, dropping shots on 14th, 16th and 17th, before a consolation birdie on 18th.

The score after 54 holes: McIlroy 16-under to Fowler's 10-under.

The moment of 'bonding' between two of the most exciting players of our times, in the form of a shared lead had lasted only briefly — the prospect of a 'Battle Royale' most cruelly killed by McIlroy over six holes and 90 minutes.

McIlroy is 16-under 200 and Fowler (69-69-68) is at 206, while Sergio Garcia (68-70-69) and Dustin Johnson (71-65-71) were tied for third at 207. For the record, Tiger Woods, the last man to win at Hoylake in 2006, is at three-over 219 in tied 58th place and 19 shots behind McIlroy.

Late on Thursday, the Royal and Ancient took a momentous decision and gave into the expected bad weather and thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon. For the first time in the storied history of the Open, they opted for a three-ball, two-tee start. Half an hour after play ended, the heavens opened up.

McIlroy, expectedly in a great mood, commented on the 2-tee start saying, "The second best decision R&A has made this year. First being bringing the Open to Portrush! I thought they made a great decision by doing what they did. And looking at the forecast tomorrow, it looks nice. And we'll get a full day's play."

Victor Dubuisson of France (68) was fifth and Edoardo Molinari (68) was sixth. Five players, Matteo Manassero (68), Adam Scott (69), Robert Karlsson (70), Jim Furyk (71) and Charl Schwartzel (72) were tied for seventh at 210.

On Fowler catching up, McIlroy said, "I knew that Rickie was playing well in front. I didn't know how well. I saw on 12, I think, that he got to within one of me, and then I bogeyed the hole and then it was tied. But I never panicked. I didn't feel uncomfortable. I knew that I had some holes coming up that I could take advantage of and make some birdies on the way in. As I said, I was just very patient today."

It's a six
Before Rory McIlroy's sensational "Zero-to-six-in-six-holes" performance – the reference being to his lead swelling from zero to six shots in six holes, the last time a player carried a six-shot lead into the final round of an Open was Tiger Woods at St. Andrew in 2000. Tiger won by eight.
Interestingly, McIlroy's two Majors — the 2011 US Open and 2012 PGA — were both won by eight-shot margins.
If McIlroy wins on Sunday, he will need only the Masters to complete a career Grand Slam.
Not since 1996, when Greg Norman lost to Nick Faldo, has any player blown a six-shot lead in the final round.
Yes, McIlroy himself squandered a four-shot lead at the 2011 Masters. But this week, having overcome his 'Freaky Friday' meltdowns of 2014, a third Major seems very much on the cards.

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