Rory McIlroy’s challenge of capturing four events in succession turned ‘ice water bucket’ cold after slipping five shots from the lead on day three of the Barclays Championship in New Jersey.
The World No. 1 posted a no frills 71 for a share of 24th spot at four under par in a round of four birdies but also three bogeys.
Aussie Jason Day, who played alongside Scot Russell Knox, birdied three of his closing four holes in a score of 68 before being joined in a share of the lead at nine under par by Jim Furky (69) on the Ridgwood Country Club course.
Against Gleneagles-bound Furyk winning is a poor record of having held or shared the 54-hole lead in seven events over the past three years but not won one.
Rory McIlroy leads the way to the scorer’s hut after his disappointing third round.
McIlroy is seeking to become only the sixth player in PGA Tour history to win four or more events in succession after his Open Championship triumph, a WGC – Bridgestone success and his second PGA Championship win last fortnight.
It would mean joining some of the game’s immortals in Byron Nelson (1945-46), Jack Burke Jr (1952) and Ben Hogan (1953) who won four in a row, and the target then would be a string of five PGA wins owned by Tiger Woods (2007-08).
However McIlroy is not about to throw in the towel with a round to play in the $US 8m event.
“I will be looking to shoot something in the low 60s, and try and at least get into double digits under par and do that as quickly as possible,” he said.
“If so, then maybe I can make a bit of a charge. I’ve come from behind before and every time I’m in this position I feel I can win. I always think back to Quail Hollow in 2010.”
Rory McIlroy lost from sight signing autographs on day 3 of the Barclays Championship.
Though five years ago at Quail Hollow in North Carolina McIlroy was four shots behind Billy Mayfair with a round to play, and with a new course record 62 won by four.
Earlier this year, McIlroy was seven shots adrift of Thomas Bjorn heading to the last day of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and stormed home with a 66 to win by a stroke.
Then last month, he was three behind Sergio Garcia and won the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational by two.
“There’s a lot of guys between me and the leaders and it will depend on what the leaders do this afternoon,” he said.
“It might be too much to ask, but I will try to get to get to double-digits under par and try and finish as high up the leader board as possible and move onto next week to Boston.”
Rory McIlroy mobbed by fans after his third round at the 2014 Barclays Championship.
And before heading north to Boston for Friday’s start to the Deutsche Bank Championship, and the second of the four FedEx Cup Play-Off Series, McIlroy is tossing up whether to take-in some of the opening day action of the 2014 US Open at Flushing Meadow across the Hudson in New York.
But then McIlroy will want to stay right away from one of the women’s afternoon matches with former fiancée Caroline Wozniacki up against Magdalena Rybarikova.
Alternatively, McIlroy’s manager hinted he may instead play a social round on one of the ultra-exclusive list of Hampton courses on Long Island that include Shinnecock Hills and Sebonack.
