Rory McIlroy roars into contention at PGA Championship following excellent third round

McIlroy began his day with a birdie, then responded with three more in a five-hole span on the front nine after a bogey on hole No. 4. He was phenomenal with his driver, nowhere more than on the par-4, 397-yard No. 6, when he smashed the ball off the tee, sending it all the way to the green, where he two-putted for birdie. Per PGA Championship live tracking data, McIlroy ranked 10th in driving distance (349 yards) in Round 3 while gaining 1.942 strokes off the tee, good for first.

Later, the two-time PGA Championship winner capped the 417-yard par-4 No. 11 with a 10-footer for birdie, cutting further into the lead.

He moved into a tie for first with an up and down sand save on No. 13, rebounding from an errant tee shot with a great stroke from the bunker that left his birdie putt five-feet from the hole.

McIlroy has caught fire after a rough first 18 holes at the second major of the year. He shot a 74 with five consecutive bogeys on holes No. 6-10 on Thursday, leaving him with an uphill climb. McIlroy fared better in Round 2, shooting a 67. Most importantly, he avoided costly mistakes, finishing Friday without a bogey.

With another big round on Sunday, McIlroy could end the weekend on top of the leaderboard, which would put him halfway to a clean sweep of the 2026 majors. In April, he won his second consecutive Masters, giving him six career Grand Slam victories. The last time McIlroy won two majors in a calendar year was in 2014, when he followed an Open Championship triumph with his second Wanamaker Trophy.

Considering how crowded the top of the leaderboard is entering Sunday, McIlroy will need to be at his best to emerge in first place. He was in Round 3, turning what once looked like a wasted weekend into one McIlroy may not soon forget.