Rory McIlroy has admitted that he was inspired by the Royal Portrush crowd as he prepares for a final push to catch Scottie Scheffler at The Open. The Northern Irishman sits six shots behind the world number one after a strong third round on Saturday. With just one round left, McIlroy knows it will take something special to claim the Claret Jug, but he is ready to fight it out with Scheffler for the crown.
McIlroy Thanks “Incredible” Royal Portrush Crowd
McIlroy shot a brilliant five-under-par 66 in the third round, one of the best scores of the day. He started fast, making three birdies in the first four holes. Even after a rare mistake on the 11th hole—when he accidentally hit the wrong ball—he recovered quickly. He made an incredible eagle from long range on the very next hole, sending the home crowd into a roar.
Speaking after his round, McIlroy thanked the fans for their support. “It was incredible,” McIlroy said. “It was so much fun. I got off to the perfect start, three under through four. Felt like at the end of the front nine there, at least through 11. The par on seven felt like a bogey, and then had the bogey on 11. To play those last seven holes at three under I thought was a good effort. Yeah, I played well.
I rode my luck at times, but it was an incredible atmosphere out there. I feel like I’ve at least given myself half a chance tomorrow.”
McIlroy Targeting Scheffler Upset In Final Round
While McIlroy’s round was impressive, Scheffler remains the man to beat. The American shot a four-under 67 on Saturday to reach 14-under-par for the tournament. He has been in impressive form all week, and he’s yet to record a single bogey.
McIlroy knows that chasing down Scheffler won’t be easy, but despite the gap, the 2025 Masters winner remains hopeful. With the support of the local fans behind him, he believes anything can happen.
“Scheffler is inevitable,” McIlroy said. “Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s become a complete player. He’s so good around the greens, he’s improved so much with his putter. It’s going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does. But if I can get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he feels that a couple of groups behind me, and you never know. I just need to go out and play another really good round of golf tomorrow and see what happens.”
Main Photo Credit: © Mike Frey-Imagn Images
