RORY MCILROY HAS seized the lead at the Irish Open on a weather-interrupted day at the K Club.
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McIlroy, who is seeking his first victory of 2016, was two-under par through 15 holes in the third round when play was suspended for the day.
But it is McIlroy they will all be chasing when the final round gets under way and the four-time major victor is optimistic about his chances of claiming the spoils. He got two more pars in before play was called for the day. “I feel like I left a few out there, but at the same time, I can’t complain with a three-shot lead going into tomorrow”.
“As well, I had trouble reading my putt on the 15th green so I didn’t know where to hit it and I said to my caddy: “I’ll just hit it straight”.
In the forty-five minute period between the breaks, McIlroy managed to extend his advantage at the top of the leaderboard to three shots after waiting to hole for birdie on the 10th.
Unfortunately, only 39 minutes of play was possible before yet another suspension, McIlroy running the length of the par-three 14th to mark his ball in the fringe after the siren sounded again.
The third round was halted for over two hours this afternoon due to a threat of thunderstorms and is set to resume at 7.55pm after another stoppage.
Willett remained three shots behind with Scotland’s Russell Knox and South Africa’s Richard Sterne another stroke adrift, Knox making a fortunate birdie on the 16th after his approach hit rocks on the edge of a water hazard but bounced forward on to the green.
Five birdies in an eight-hole stretch around the turn parachuted Rafa Cabrera Bello to within one the lead, only for the Spaniard to run up a double-bogey at 17 shortly before play was suspended at 3.27pm.
“It would be incredible if I could get my first win of the year here”, said McIlroy.
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McIlroy added that he thinks the officials made the right decision to end the third round prematurely.
