Rory McIlroy is five off the lead at the Tour Championship in Atlanta after a seven under par round of 63 lifted him into contention heading for Sunday’s final round.
McIlroy is 10 under, and certainly not out of it, though he has work to do to reel in Norway’s Viktor Hovland, who got round in 65 to sit on 15 under, one clear of American Ryan Gerard.
McIlroy had been languishing close to the foot of the 29-strong field – reduced by one with JJ Spaun’s withdrawal on Thursday – at the beginning of the day. Underwhelming rounds of 68 and 69 left him seven off the pace at the midway point.
However, just as he did in 2022 when he last won at East Lake, McIlroy leapt into the reckoning on moving day.
His round started sluggishly enough, a three-putt on the par-three second seeing him fall back to two under par.
But the birdies flowed freely from there, with four birdies in five holes between the third and seventh. His driving woes were little in evidence as he routinely found the heart of the fairway from the tee. Another sumptuous approach set up a birdie putt on the 10th.
He dropped a shot at another short hole on 11 but responded by draining an 8ft birdie putt on the 12th.
Viktor Hovland leads the way
The Masters champion mounted another spurt in the closing holes, birdieing the famous island hole par-three at 15, then sinking putts of 16 foot and 12 foot in length respectively to briefly tie the lead on 10 under.
He was unlucky to trickle into the rough at the par-five 18th and found a poor lie, which cost him the chance at a 10th birdie.
With the later starters currently coming to the end of their front nine, Ryan Gerard holds a one shot lead on 12 under par, with Viktor Hovland one stroke behind.
McIlroy is alongside Cameron Young 10 under. The high-powered quartet of Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Aaberg, Chris Gotterup and Adam Scott are on 12 under.