Rory McIlroy puts LIV Golf rivals on notice with a vintage display at the Canadian Open, showing the golf star is aiming for a successful run in Ontario in preparing for the US Open
Rory McIlroy is in solid form after the third round at the RBC Canadian Open, in his attempt to win his third Canadian Open title.
Heading into the final round in Ontario, McIlroy is tied for ninth with Tom Kim, Trace Crowe and Joel Dahmen. His outing in the penultimate round could be a precursor to how the 35-year-old will perform at the U.S. Open in mid-June.
“I got off to a pretty fast start,” McIlroy said. “Three-under through 5 and 5-under through 9. Wish I had made a couple more coming in, but overall a good day’s work and hopefully it puts me within touching distance going into tomorrow.”
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McIlroy also added that the crowd played a part in helping him bounce back from a tough second round. “I feel like an honorary Canadian at this point and the support I get here is amazing,” the golf star added.
“I keep saying it, but just a pleasure to play in an atmosphere like that. The crowds are so good, they’re so supportive, so enthusiastic, looking forward to one more day of it.” The RBC Canadian Open is the first event McIlroy is participating in since he finished 12th at the PGA Championship at Valhalla in early May.
During the tournament, news broke that McIlroy had filed for divorce from Erica Stoll, with the two having been married for seven years. Additionally, McIlroy’s outing in Ontario has turned out better than expected after starting in an ominous position.
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After sitting in sixth place and four shots off the lead after the opening round, McIlroy admitted that he entered the competition in less than stellar form, enjoying a few beverages before the beginning of the event.
The 35-year-old explained how he had too much wine celebrating caddie Harry Diamond’s birthday the night before and came into the competition feeling “groggy.” He also explained he did not play to his standards, despite where he stood after the first round.
“So I played the back nine blind,” the 35-year-old revealed. “I hadn’t seen the back nine, only played the front nine in the pro-am so I was happy enough to get out of there in even par and not make a bogey.
“But once I got those nine holes out of the way, I knew there were some chances on the front side and played much better. Four birdies and no bogeys was a good day’s work.
“I’ve played a lot of golf this year. I’m on another four-week stretch, but it’s been good. I’ve started to play my way into form and I’ve played well the past few weeks and hopefully, I can keep that going.”
Should McIlroy finish the Canadian Open on a high note, he can take that momentum into future tournaments. Most notably, he will be looking to end his 10-year major drought at the US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 against LIV Golf stars.