A 15th hole eagle putt from just off the green at the 15th hole of the East Lake course send Rory McIlroy soaring to a share of the lead and the strong chance now to swoop on the $10m FedEx Cup Play-Off winning bonus.

McIlroy’s 26-foot eagle putt sent him into a tie for the lead on 9-under par with American Billy Horschel and with a round to play in the PGA Tour season-ending Tour Championship.

Both players then pared the remaining three holes to end the third round two shots clear of their nearest rival.

And with a round to play in the final event on the 2013/14 PGA Tour schedule McIlroy is going to have to win the event to also end the year at FedEx Cup champion.

At this stage he trails Horschel by 450 points on the FedEx Cup points table and with Horschel leading with 4.750 points to McIlroy’s 4,300.

Biggest shock on day three was the efforts of USA Ryder Cup rookie Jordan Spieth who shot a third round 80.

Included in Spieth’s round was four bogeys in his first five holes and then a double at the sixth before a birdie at ninth but then he another five bogeys in a row from the 10th ahead of a second birdie at 15 but then ending with an 18th hole bogey.

It sent the Texas-born golfer plummeting to share of 28th place in the 29-player field at 11-over par.