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RIDGELAND, S.C. — Rory McIlroy had two eagles that made his rating look higher than it felt Saturday. All that mattered was a one-shot lead on the CJ Cup in South Carolina, placing him in place for his third win of the 12 months.
This one would include a bonus: An opportunity to return to No. 1 on the earth.
McIlroy can reclaim the highest spot underneath two eventualities: if he wins and Scottie Scheffler finishes worse than tied for second with one different, or if McIlroy finishes second alone and Scheffler finishes worse than thirty fourth alone.
That will be nothing new for McIlroy, who first reached the highest of the world rating greater than 10 years in the past, although it could be no much less particular. Having been there eight occasions earlier than, it isn’t a distraction — not with Jon Rahm amongst these one shot behind.
“Finally, I simply wish to win this golf match. If I win the golf match, then the whole lot will care for itself,” McIlroy mentioned after his 4-under 67.
“So for me, tomorrow I have to go on the market, set myself a rating that I wish to shoot, attempt to do this,” he mentioned. “Specializing in that, hope that that finally ends up with a few issues, a trophy and getting again to the highest of the world rankings.”
Rahm fell 5 pictures behind at one level and rallied to salvage that in any other case felt like a struggle towards Congaree all day. He wound up with a 70 and was one shot behind, together with Kurt Kitayama (70) and K.H. Lee (66).
The eagles made all of the distinction, they usually have been classic McIlroy. He drilled one drive on the par-5 fourth that left him 6-iron that completely caught the slope and rolled to 2 ft. On the par-5 twelfth, he smashed his drive 376 yards and rolled in a 30-foot putt from off the inexperienced on the tightly mown turf.
Which was his favourite?
“It is good while you get that query,” he mentioned, selecting No. 12 due to how a lot enjoyable it was to hit the ball that far.
The remainder of the spherical was even par, a mixture of good birdies and sloppy bogeys.
“You are taking away these two holes and I used to be even par for the remainder of the spherical. Felt prefer it was somewhat scrappy coming in, however did sufficient to hold in there and shoot a strong rating,” McIlroy mentioned.
McIlroy was at 13-under 200.
Rahm began the second spherical tied for the lead. He was 5 pictures behind when McIlroy made his eagle on No. 12.
However the large Spaniard was strong as Gibraltar coming in at Congaree, choosing off birdies with two good bunker pictures and making a terrific escape for par on the sixteenth, the place he purposely took free reduction into the bushes due to a tiny hole.
“Plenty of battle immediately. I am pleased with it,” Rahm mentioned. “I am standing on 12 tee … I assumed issues might get ugly. However I simply stayed by myself recreation and tried to make some birdies coming in and put myself in place for tomorrow.”
His solely disappointment was not moving into the ultimate group with McIlroy, an influence group for a sleepy match within the low nation.
Lee matched the low spherical of a day made difficult by some tees moved again and a few pins in perilous positions. He additionally made amends on the seventeenth gap, the hardest at Congaree this week. Lee four-putted – the final three putts from 5 ft – for a double bogey Friday. This time he made certainly one of solely three birdies.
“Significantly better than yesterday,” he mentioned.
Kitayama is essentially the most curious of the contenders, a 29-year-old Californian who spent two years on the Korn Ferry Tour with out a lot success, after which 4 years toiling throughout Asia and Europe, successful thrice.
He battled Rahm within the Mexico Open and completed one again. He completed one behind Xander Schauffele within the Scottish Open. Saturday was the primary time he had a share of the lead going into the weekend on the PGA Tour, and he held his personal.
He was tied for the lead till his 65-foot putt throughout the seventeenth inexperienced ran some 7 ft by the cup, and he missed the comebacker for par.
Aaron Wise, very similar to Rahm, additionally needed to piece collectively a recreation that did not really feel prefer it was there. He had consecutive bogeys in the midst of the again 9, however scratched out pars coming in for a 71 and put him within the group three pictures behind.
Tom Kim had a 69 and was 4 pictures again in his bid to win for the third time earlier than turning 21. The 20-year-old has received three of his final 5 begins.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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