Atlanta, GA ….
It is a promoter’s final round dream two-ball with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy out in the final round of the biggest, richest golf tournament on the PGA calendar.
If McIlroy is to deny Woods a first victory in over half-a-decade he knows he cannot afford to be distracted by the enormous attention to centre on Woods.
East Lake has not witnessed scenes like those these past three days since Woods last teed-up on the famed Atlanta course and with ‘Tigermania’ set to again engulf the final round.
Woods needed just 23 putts in posting a five-under par 65 and edge his way to a three-shot lead at 12-under par heading to the final round of the 2017/18 PGA Tour season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake.
Rory McIllroy on route to a share of second on day three of the Tour Championship. (Getty)
McIlroy, who signed for a 66, shares second place with World No. 1 Justin Rose (68) on nine-under par.
While it has actually been 1,876 days since Woods was handed an eighth WGC – Bridgestone Invitational trophy, McIlroy has battled his own 2018 demons in seeking a second win after earlier this year capturing the Arnold Palmer Invitational and nothing would delight the Ulsterman more than to be heading to Versailles with a victory packed into his European Ryder Cup golf bag.
It is why if McIlroy is to continue to benefit along the ‘journey’ that he spoke about on the eve of the Atlanta event he needs to remained solely focussed on his own game.
“All I can do is worry about myself,” McIlroy said.
“It doesn’t matter who it is I’m playing with. It’s obviously exciting for the golf tournament. It’s exciting for golf in general that he’s up there. But for me, all I can do is concentrate on myself. The game is hard enough without looking at other people. Go out there, take care of my business, and hopefully that’s good enough.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy out in the final round of the final event of the 2017/18 PGA Tour season
“I’ve been guilty of looking around before, and it hasn’t paid off,” McIlroy said. “You know, I’ll obviously still watch leaderboards, I’ll still look at where I’m at in relation to the field and to the lead, but I have to just, first and foremost, focus on what I can do, fairways, greens, hit good putts, and just try and repeat that.”
Woods will tee-off on day four having now lead through 54 holes on 58 PGA Tour occasions and remarkably the now 42-year old has gone on to claim victory on 54 occasions.
And Woods has waited long enough to now be in a positon for what would be an 80th PGA Tour title and a 107th global triumph.
“Well, it’s — simple math says that if I play a clean card, the guys behind me have to shoot 67 to force it into extra,” said Woods.
“So, that helps. I don’t have to shoot 63 or 64 and hope I get help. That’s a big difference.
“This is a spot I’d much rather be in than certainly four or five back.”
But then McIlroy is no stranger in coming from behind to claim victory in his career.
“I think it’s the same regardless of who it is in the lead,” said McIlroy.
“You’re going out to try and shoot a good score. And whether that score holds up at the end of the day or not, again, it’s just about focusing on yourself. Look, he’s a notoriously great front-runner, but if I go out and I play similar tomorrow like I did today, I’ll have no complaints.
“So, we’ll see what happens, but it’ll be exciting to be up there and have a chance to win the golf tournament.
One thing is certain though McIlroy will not be wearing black as he did on day three and looking very uncomfortable in the continuing heatwave conditions.
“I think I’ll wear red. No, geez, I’ve regretted wearing black out here today. It was hot,” he said.
Rory McIlroy – If he is to win the FedEx Cup (#17 Ranked)
Currently T2 in the tournament; projected 7th in the FedExCup
Wins the TOUR Championship
And will need …
Bryson DeChambeau (#1) finishes T-11 or worse (currently T21)
Justin Rose (#2) finishes in a 3-way tie for 4th or worse (currently T2)
Tony Finau (#3) finishes T-3 or worse (currently T6)
Dustin Johnson (#4) finishes in a 3-way tie for 2nd or worse (currently T9)
Justin Thomas (#5) finishes T-2 or worse (currently T9)
Keegan Bradley (#6) finishes T-2 or worse (currently T27)
