Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts after a shot on the fifth hole during the Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters golf tournament in Shanghai yesterday. (AFP
AFP/Shanghai
Rory McIlroy kept the most lucrative winner’s cheque of his career in his sights by nudging into a three-shot lead at the Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters yesterday.
The US Open champion sunk a monster 35-foot putt on the ninth green to signal his intent to keep his new management—and his bank manager—happy come Monday morning.
The 22-year-old shot to 18 under par for the tournament with a third round 65, a score that keeps at least one of the Northern Irishman’s hands on the $2mn top prize.
Several putts went missing, but the world number three mustered an impressive seven birdies to put a cushion between himself and second-placed American Anthony Kim as the 30-strong field enter tomorrow’s final round.
“I set myself a target of hitting 18 under today so that’s what I did. I’ve got a three-shot lead which is fantastic,” McIlroy said.
An inspired Kim turned early pressure on the tournament favourite and was trailing the world number three by just a shot heading into the back nine.
He eased the pressure on McIlroy with a bogey on the 18th but reached the clubhouse still in contention, carding eight birdies on his way to an impressive 65 and 15-under overall.
Breezy conditions, light early drizzle and the whiff of smog from the neigbouring factory and power station stacks made play challenging on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.
Promising young Korean Noh Seung-Yul began the day in sparkling form with a sublime chip but later endured regular slices into the long grass and sand to score 67 and lie in third on 14 under, four shots off McIlroy.
Ian Poulter’s third-round surge faltered on the back nine, with the Englishman venting his frustration by smashing his club on the tee after slicing a shot.
He carded five birdies on the front nine and lies in joint fourth on 11 under with American Hunter Mahan.
Out-of-sorts world number two Lee Westwood ran out of ideas as he tried to mount a comeback against rival McIlroy, scoring only three birdies in his 70.
The Englishman lies joint sixth on seven under with Australian Geoff Ogilvy.