Solely a bogey on the well-known Street Gap 17th prevented McIlroy from holding the outright lead, with Ryder Cup team-mate and taking part in associate Viktor Hovland, chasing his first main title, carding a bogey-free 66 to affix the Northern Irishman on 16 below.

Rory. McIlroy.#The150thOpen pic.twitter.com/ZgVKfXf8ie

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 16, 2022

McIlroy lifted the Claret Jug in 2014 and received his fourth main within the US PGA a month later, however has not received one of many recreation’s largest titles since.

Augusta Nationwide co-founder and three-time Open champion Bobby Jones famously mentioned {that a} participant’s profession wouldn’t be full with out lifting the Claret Jug on the Outdated Course.

And whereas McIlroy doesn’t suppose that’s strictly true, the world quantity two was effectively conscious of the importance of successful the oldest main title on the Residence of Golf.

“I don’t know if a golfer’s profession isn’t full should you don’t, however I feel it’s the Holy Grail of our sport,” McIlroy mentioned in his pre-tournament press convention on Tuesday.

Requested in regards to the significance of successful on Sunday, McIlroy informed Sky Sports activities: “It might imply all the things due to what I’ve been via the previous few years, attempting to get the fifth one.

“I’ve a whole lot of perception in myself, I do know I can do it once more. I simply must exit in my very own little world and shoot rating that I do know I can do round right here.”

Australia’s Cameron Smith had been in pole place to realize that feat after posting a report midway complete of 13 below par, however the world quantity six three-putted the opening gap and made a double bogey on the 13th as he slipped off the tempo.

Even an error-free entrance 9 of 33 – with birdies on the fifth, sixth and ninth – had seen McIlroy a shot behind an impressed Hovland, who had birdied 4 holes in a row from the third to take over from Smith on the prime of the leaderboard.

Nevertheless, McIlroy then holed out from a bunker wanting the 10th inexperienced for a shocking eagle to vault into the lead, earlier than Hovland commendably held his nerve to birdie the identical gap.

McIlroy discovered the inexperienced in two on the 614-yard 14th to arrange one other birdie and transfer into the outright lead, solely to then hearth his strategy to the daunting 17th over the inexperienced and off the wall.

The ensuing bogey dropped McIlroy again alongside Hovland, who brilliantly saved par from simply over the inexperienced, with each gamers then making a birdie on the final.

Smith and Younger will begin the ultimate spherical 4 photographs behind after rounds of 73 and 71 respectively, with world primary Scottie Scheffler and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim a stroke additional again.

Two-time main winner Dustin Johnson is six photographs again following a 71, with Tommy Fleetwood and US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick on 9 below with Australia’s Adam Scott.

“Right this moment once I was having breakfast it appeared everybody was making birdies in every single place,” Fleetwood mentioned after his 66.

“I obtained begin, the center stretch was irritating however end once more. The putts at 16, 17 (each to save lots of par) and 18 really feel essential. I’d like to be in with an opportunity coming down the again 9 tomorrow, however it is extremely particular to nonetheless be in and amongst it.”