While McIlroy finished joint runner-up in this year’s Open Championship, it’s been too long since the golfer affectionately known as ‘Rors’ did some serious roaring.
The current world No 8 sounds excited and there’s enthusiasm not only in his eyes but in his manners and his speech in a rain-affected BMW Championship.
McIlroy will tee-up early Sunday local time, weather permitting, heading into day four of the $9million sharing second place on 16-under par and just a stroke behind European Ryder Cup colleague, Justin Rose who produced a 64 to lead at 17-under on the rain-softened Aronimink course in suburban Philadelphia.
McIlroy brilliantly regrouped after a ‘no frills’ second day 69, to grab a ninth hole eagle and seven birdies in his score of 63.
His eagle 3 at the par-5 ninth hole came after he had birdied seven and then for a third day running making a mess of the par-3 eighth hole, in taking a double-bogey after two earlier bogeys.
“I was in between a 3-wood and 5-wood so I cut a 3-wood in there, I thought I left it a little far right but with the course softened-up, it landed up on the high part of the hill there, it stopped pretty quickly,” he said.
“So, it was nice to hit that shot and obviously nice to hole this putt after making the double bogey on the 8th hole and, yes, it was nice to close out the front-9 like that.”
McIlroy’s inward half was blemish-free with birdies at the 13th, 16th and 18th holes that saw him head to the scorer’s hut in third place at 16-under par but when Xander Schauffele, and playing in the last group, bogeyed the last, McIlroy founh himself up into a share of second with a round to play.
“The putt at the last I said to my caddy, Harry (Diamond), it reminded me of the putt I holed in Abu Dhabi earlier this year up the hill left to right,” he said.
“I guess I had good sort of good vibes and good memories and it was nice to see it go in. It was hit a little bit firm. No, it was very good.
“Overall, I had missed a couple of shots ones on Friday but today I made the putts I needed to while I also hit more fairways that gave myself more opportunities.
“But then it was a weird day as they put a lot of the tees forward and while the course was very wet from all the rain we had last night, if you didn’t shoot 65 you were losing ground.
“So, it was just one of those days you had to stay aggressive.”