Rory McIlroy Climbs Wentworth Leaderboard With Saturday 65

The four-time Major winner equalled the lowest round of the week with a seven under par 65 in the third round

Rory McIlroy Climbs Wentworth Leaderboard With Saturday 65

After making the cut on the number at the BMW PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy has given himself an outside chance of victory after a stunning 65 on Saturday morning.

The World No.2 began the day at +1 for the tournament but ended it at -6 after six birdies and an eagle.

"Obviously the leaders are way up there, but the conditions are going to be tricky. The course is getting firm. If I can shoot 7-under tomorrow, get myself to minus six, you never know," he said on Friday evening on his chances of victory.

Seven under was what he was looking for, and that's exactly what he scored on Saturday.

"It's amazing," he said of the turnaround in his game after the opening 76 in round one.

"I only took two weeks off but it felt like I had not played golf in years on Thursday. It was strange.

"But it has been nice to sort of figure it out a little bit, play a bit better yesterday. Obviously played much better today."

He got off to the perfect start with a birdie at the short 2nd before a beautiful high-flighted mid-iron settled a few feet from the cup on the third for an easy birdie.

Another birdie followed at the downhill par-5 4th to quickly get to three under for his opening four holes.

He made seven pars in a row from the 5th tee, including a horseshoe lip-out on 10, before a wedge to tap-in range on 11 for the easiest of birdies saw him go to -4 for the day and -3 for the tournament.

Watch: McIlroy's birdie on 11 -

The four-time Major winner still had three par-5s left to play in his final seven holes and conditions were absolutely perfect on a sunny September morning at Wentworth.

Rory hit a beauty into the par-5 12th to some 15ft and duly holed the eagle putt to go -6 for the day.

Watch: McIlroy's eagle on 12 -

He then parred 13, where he had a good look at birdie, and parred the 14th too.

McIlroy found the fairway at the 15th, one of the toughest tee shots on the course, and hit his approach to within 6ft at the 490 yard par-4 which he converted for yet another birdie.

He stood on the 16th at -7 for the day and just five back of the leaders with two par-5s ahead, albeit he had played those par-5s in three over for the week.

Bogey-free for the day, his first drop shot would come at 16 after finding the trees off the tee.

He got that straight back at the 17th, though, with a 10 footer for birdie to cap an excellent up-and-down after missing the green left with his fairway wood approach.

The four-time Major winner could only par the last after missing the fairway off the tee, but his 65 equals the lowest round of the week at Wentworth and at least gives him a chance of challenging the leaders tomorrow.

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