RORY MCILROY KNOWS what he has to do if he is to win the Farmers Insurance Open tomorrow.
Tee to green, the Ulsterman is in form, ranked first for driving distance and hitting greens in regulation through the first three rounds of this tournament.
Where he has fallen down – not for the first time in his career – has been on the greens. McIlroy ranks 65th in terms of putts per green so far this week.
Nonetheless, he is in contention for glory, placed in a tie for eighth after he shot a two under round of 70 today. In total, just four shots separate the top 16 players here, with Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz, who shot a 66 today, tied for the lead alongside Patrick Reed.
McIlroy is three shots back, at seven under, having moved six places up the leaderboard after recording a 70 today to follow up on the 68 and 71 he posted in rounds one and two.
He started conservatively, getting pars on the opening three holes, before he bogeyed the fourth.
That was his only blemish of the round – indeed he has only bogeyed five of his 54 holes so far this week.
Birdies on the seventh, ninth and 13th put him in a position to really close in on the leaders but he then failed to take chances in the closing five holes.
