Scottish Open: Robert MacIntyre two pictures off lead forward of ultimate spherical and pushing for dwelling triumph

Robert MacIntyre stays within the working for a house triumph on the Genesis Scottish Open.

A yr on from being denied by Rory McIlroy’s last-gasp heroics at this occasion, Scotland’s MacIntyre has one other shot at claiming the title he craves most going into the ultimate spherical.

On Saturday on the Renaissance Membership he carded a 3rd spherical of 63, the bottom of the day in changeable circumstances, to path Ryder Cup team-mate Ludvig Aberg by two pictures.

Aberg adopted consecutive rounds of 64 with a 65 to achieve 17 underneath par, with MacIntyre on 15 underneath and former world No 1 Adam Scott one other shot again following a 64 compiled alongside the house favorite.

Defending champion McIlroy heads into the ultimate spherical 5 pictures off the lead after a irritating third spherical of 67.

Even a three-putt bogey on the 18th couldn’t take the shine off MacIntyre’s day, the left-hander additionally carding an eagle and 7 birdies to surge by way of the sector in entrance of a partisan dwelling crowd.

“The final is a troublesome gap, whether or not it is flat calm, downwind, into wind, and after they put the pin up that prime shelf, it makes it even more durable,” MacIntyre stated.

“However general I performed completely brilliantly. Tee to inexperienced was strong once more, rolled the putter fantastically. I’ve simply acquired to let it occur, and it occurred.

“I’ve not been shy in saying it, the Scottish Open is the one which I need. That is my finish aim, I’ve stated it from the beginning of the week. The Scottish Open on a resume for my entire profession is what I need.

“I’ve simply acquired to go and play golf and let it occur. I can not pressure it, there’s so many good gamers within the event chasing me down. I can solely management me and I’ve managed myself very nicely to date.

“I’ve acquired 18 holes to manage myself much more.”

For the third day working McIlroy felt he might simply have been two or three pictures higher off, the world No 2 masking his first 10 holes in 4 underneath earlier than a run of seven straight pars and a bogey on the 18th.

“The birdies dried up,” stated McIlroy, who’s competing for the primary time since agonisingly lacking out on a fifth main title on the US Open.

“I saved hitting good pictures, particularly the previous couple of holes. I feel I had three eight-footers on 15, 16, 17 for birdie that I did not convert and made bogey on the final.

“So the final 4 holes I’ve in all probability performed them the worst that I might, which is unlucky as a result of I felt like I might have been proper up there, type of at 15 underneath across the lead, and to present one away on the final is disappointing.

“However I will be inside three or 4 [of the lead] and a minimum of nonetheless have a shot if I get off to an excellent begin. It is one other alternative to go on the market and attempt to win a really prestigious event that is acquired loads of historical past.”

McIlroy’s subsequent likelihood to finish a serious drought which stretches again to 2014 is available in subsequent week’s Open at Royal Troon and he added: “It is easy to remain affected person, understanding that the sport is there.

“Straightforward to remain affected person understanding that there is one eye on this week and in the end one eye on subsequent week, too.

“However I’d love to enter subsequent week after getting myself proper into the thick of issues tomorrow.”

Aberg initially responded fantastically to MacIntyre’s cost with birdies on the primary, third, sixth and tenth, however bogeyed the eleventh and twelfth to seek out himself two behind.

Nevertheless, the world No 4 then holed from lengthy vary for birdie on the thirteenth and picked up additional pictures on the sixteenth and seventeenth to reclaim the lead.

“Not essentially the most stress-free golf however it was once more an excellent rating,” stated Aberg, who missed the minimize within the Scottish Open final yr in simply his fifth occasion as an expert.

“I felt like I used to be taking part in nicely. I used to be hitting the pictures that I wished to after which clearly made bogey on 11 and 12 however these issues are going to occur once you play a 72-hole golf event. You may’t be excellent on a regular basis.

“However I am happy with the way in which I hung in there and completed it out. When a putt like that goes in on 13, it offers you slightly little bit of an additional enhance, I suppose, and I am wanting ahead to the ultimate spherical.

“Appears like I am taking part in with Bob as nicely, so it will likely be a cool pairing.”

Watch spherical 4 of the Genesis Scottish Open, reside on Sky Sports activities Golf from 3pm on Sunday, earlier than the 152nd Open at Royal Troon from July 18-21. Stream the PGA Tour, majors and extra with NOW.