TPC Boston, MA …
With the Boston clubhouse in sight, Rory McIlroy was nearing boiling point.
His frustration boiled-over in missing a makeable six-footer for birdie on day three of the Dell Technologies Championship.
McIlroy had jumped nearly 20 places from his second-round overnight position at four-under par to be sharing third place after a seventh birdie of his round at the 13th before completing his closing five holes in one-over par and in a round of 66.
In missing his putt on the last, McIlroy angrily waved the putter in the air and then slapped the face of the club before throwing the club in the direction of his golf bag.
Photo @tourmiss
McIlroy was clearly in no mood for any sort of a fireside chat as he headed the scorer’s room, located in the bowels of the stunning clubhouse at nine-under par and for a third day running declining a request for interview from SKY TV.
He had spoken to this journalist following both Friday’s and Saturday’s effort and his comments were very much a mirror of his third-round play.
Once again, it was one of those ‘should have been rounds’ with the World No. 7 finding no luck and turning what should have been a 63 or 64 into a clearly frustrating 66.
McIlroy, and in all fairness to the Ulsterman, declined a request from SKY Sports TV for a third day running in Boston.
Rory McIlroy makes a bee line for the scorers’ room after missing his birdie putt at the last (Photo @tourmiss)
“While my 67 could have been a 64 but at least I am playing the sort of golf I am giving myself an opportunity to shoot a 63 or a 64 again,” he said on Saturday.
“So, you have to take the positives from that and if I could go out and shoot a 64 or a 65 tomorrow I am right in it, and we still have 36 holes to go.”
Mcllroy headed into day three of the event he’s won twice before birding three of his first four holes and while he dropped a shot on five, he regrouped with birdies at seven, nine and 10.
He drew a huge applause from the Boston sports-mad fans at the par-4 14th when he landed his 134-yard wedge shot to just two-feet for birdie.
McIlroy’s round was about to sour at the par-3 16th when his tee shot ricocheted off some rocks below the green and bounded into the water.
Photo @tourmiss
McIlroy was miffed, mouthing “wow” in the direction of his caddie. “Yeah, I hit it good,” he remarked, placing the blame on his club selection.
His troubles continued on the 17th green when his second shot was some 13-feet short of the hole and behind the flag. McIlroy took plenty of time to read the putt and rolled the ball on a solid line, but it bobbled off the left edge.
There was another audible sigh from the four-time Major winner.
Then at the last, McIlroy found a greenside bunker with his second shot and then with his third, McIlroy found himself now six-foot from the hole and starting at birdie.
A par is not what McIlroy wanted and he showed his disgust.
Bryson DeChambeau, and coming off last week’s win in New Jersey, brilliantly upstaged playing partner, Tiger Woods finishing birdie, birdie and eagle in a sizzling round of 63 to grab the then clubhouse lead at 12-under par before Mexico’s Abraham Ancer posted a round of 65 to lead by a shot at 13-under par.
DeChambeau, and along with Woods and Phil Mickelson, are certainties later tomorrow (TUES) evening at 10pm Irish time, to be named by Jim Furyk as three of his four Versailles ‘wildcard’ picks.
And Woods, who said last week in New Jersey, he would love to partner the player 17-years his junior, was again impressed the fellow Californian-born golfer.
“It was fantastic to play with Bryson, he’s great,” said Woods who struggled in shooting a 68 for a seven-under total.
“This is the first time I’ve ever played with him in a tournament round. We played in practice rounds quite a bit this year and he’s fantastic.”
