Perfect timing: McIlroy thrives with Open looming
McIlroy shot a four-under-par 66 in the third round of the Scottish Open on Saturday, pulling into a share of the lead at North Berwick, Scotland.
"I think I'm pretty close to being back to the level I was at going into the Masters," the green jacket winner said.
"I think I've had a little bit of a lull, which I feel is understandable. So I'm just getting back to the level that I know that I can play at."
McIlroy, bidding to win the tournament for the second time in three years, is tied atop the leaderboard with US second-round leader Chris Gotterup at Renaissance Club in North Berwick.
Gotterup had a 21-foot putt on the final hole with a chance to become the solo leader, but it was barely off the mark, so he settled for a third-round 70.
The duo go into Sunday's final round, which marks the last tune-up prior to next week's British Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, with a two-stroke lead at 11-under 199.
"Look, it's fun to be back here and play in front of so many kids out there and to have that support and that enthusiasm," said McIlroy, who'll get all the home support at Portrush.
Wyndham Clark made an early charge and posted 66, pulling to nine under with Jake Knapp (68) and the English duo of Marco Penge (69) and Matt Fitzpatrick (69).
McIlroy, who won the 2023 tournament at 15 under, played the last 11 holes in a bogey-free four-under.
Harris English, whose 66 matched McIlroy and Clark for the best score of the third round, is among eight golfers tied for seventh at seven under.
World No. 1 Scott Scheffler shot 69 and sits at six under. "I think I felt like I hit a lot of good putts out there and the ball was just dodging the hole," Scheffler said.
Adam Scott was leading the Australian challenge but after a third-round 70 was on three under for the tournament, still eight shots adrift. Elvis Smylie was another couple of shots further back after a third-round 71.
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
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Aussie Gigante climbs the podium at Giro d'Italia
Sarah Gigante has completed her dazzling maiden Giro d'Italia by finishing third overall and winning the Queen of the Mountains jersey as the top climber. While Italian home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini held on to her overnight lead to take the title for a second straight year, Gigante was thrilled to finish her breakthrough event, in which she won two mountain stages in four days, with a place on the podium. Better still, she produced the goods on the final hilly stage to take the Queen of the Mountains jersey as top climber, going past the overnight leader, Spain's Usoa Ostolaza. "I can't believe how well this week went," said Gigante, who is making a remarkable comeback to the sport after surgery last year to fix the debilitating condition, Iliac artery endofibrosis. "I never expected this. My main concern was just being able to compete again without pain." The 24-year-old follows her countrywoman Neve Bradbury, who also finished third in the 2024 event, and joins Amanda Spratt (3rd in 2018 and 2019), Kathryn Watt (2nd in 1994 and 3rd in 1990) and Elisabeth Hepple (2nd in the inaugural 1988 event) in the Giro's Australian roll of honour. After taking the race lead off Marlen Reusser on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini successfully defended the pink jersey on the final 134km stage eight from Forlì to Imola, finishing fourth behind her Swiss rival on the day. Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) ended up victorious by 18 seconds ahead of Movistar's Reusser, with Gigante unable to make any inroads into the champion's overnight lead of 71 seconds over the Melbourne rider. The stage was won by Movistar's Liane Lippert, who beat Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) in a two-up sprint at the famous Imola racetrack, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, after the pair had escaped from a group of a dozen riders, including Gigante, in the last 3km. The hilly route provided Gigante's key to the Queen of the Mountains blue jersey prize. She had been lying one point behind Ostolaza overnight, but won the first mountain sprint in Monticino to regain a lead that she wasn't about to relinquish. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) then went on a solo breakaway to win an intermediate sprint and seal her points classification victory. "It's been an incredible Giro - for me and for the team. The last eight days were full gas: we had a common goal, and we achieved it," Longo Borghini said. Sarah Gigante has completed her dazzling maiden Giro d'Italia by finishing third overall and winning the Queen of the Mountains jersey as the top climber. While Italian home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini held on to her overnight lead to take the title for a second straight year, Gigante was thrilled to finish her breakthrough event, in which she won two mountain stages in four days, with a place on the podium. Better still, she produced the goods on the final hilly stage to take the Queen of the Mountains jersey as top climber, going past the overnight leader, Spain's Usoa Ostolaza. "I can't believe how well this week went," said Gigante, who is making a remarkable comeback to the sport after surgery last year to fix the debilitating condition, Iliac artery endofibrosis. "I never expected this. My main concern was just being able to compete again without pain." The 24-year-old follows her countrywoman Neve Bradbury, who also finished third in the 2024 event, and joins Amanda Spratt (3rd in 2018 and 2019), Kathryn Watt (2nd in 1994 and 3rd in 1990) and Elisabeth Hepple (2nd in the inaugural 1988 event) in the Giro's Australian roll of honour. After taking the race lead off Marlen Reusser on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini successfully defended the pink jersey on the final 134km stage eight from Forlì to Imola, finishing fourth behind her Swiss rival on the day. Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) ended up victorious by 18 seconds ahead of Movistar's Reusser, with Gigante unable to make any inroads into the champion's overnight lead of 71 seconds over the Melbourne rider. The stage was won by Movistar's Liane Lippert, who beat Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) in a two-up sprint at the famous Imola racetrack, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, after the pair had escaped from a group of a dozen riders, including Gigante, in the last 3km. The hilly route provided Gigante's key to the Queen of the Mountains blue jersey prize. She had been lying one point behind Ostolaza overnight, but won the first mountain sprint in Monticino to regain a lead that she wasn't about to relinquish. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) then went on a solo breakaway to win an intermediate sprint and seal her points classification victory. "It's been an incredible Giro - for me and for the team. The last eight days were full gas: we had a common goal, and we achieved it," Longo Borghini said. Sarah Gigante has completed her dazzling maiden Giro d'Italia by finishing third overall and winning the Queen of the Mountains jersey as the top climber. While Italian home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini held on to her overnight lead to take the title for a second straight year, Gigante was thrilled to finish her breakthrough event, in which she won two mountain stages in four days, with a place on the podium. Better still, she produced the goods on the final hilly stage to take the Queen of the Mountains jersey as top climber, going past the overnight leader, Spain's Usoa Ostolaza. "I can't believe how well this week went," said Gigante, who is making a remarkable comeback to the sport after surgery last year to fix the debilitating condition, Iliac artery endofibrosis. "I never expected this. My main concern was just being able to compete again without pain." The 24-year-old follows her countrywoman Neve Bradbury, who also finished third in the 2024 event, and joins Amanda Spratt (3rd in 2018 and 2019), Kathryn Watt (2nd in 1994 and 3rd in 1990) and Elisabeth Hepple (2nd in the inaugural 1988 event) in the Giro's Australian roll of honour. After taking the race lead off Marlen Reusser on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini successfully defended the pink jersey on the final 134km stage eight from Forlì to Imola, finishing fourth behind her Swiss rival on the day. Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) ended up victorious by 18 seconds ahead of Movistar's Reusser, with Gigante unable to make any inroads into the champion's overnight lead of 71 seconds over the Melbourne rider. The stage was won by Movistar's Liane Lippert, who beat Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) in a two-up sprint at the famous Imola racetrack, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, after the pair had escaped from a group of a dozen riders, including Gigante, in the last 3km. The hilly route provided Gigante's key to the Queen of the Mountains blue jersey prize. She had been lying one point behind Ostolaza overnight, but won the first mountain sprint in Monticino to regain a lead that she wasn't about to relinquish. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) then went on a solo breakaway to win an intermediate sprint and seal her points classification victory. "It's been an incredible Giro - for me and for the team. The last eight days were full gas: we had a common goal, and we achieved it," Longo Borghini said. Sarah Gigante has completed her dazzling maiden Giro d'Italia by finishing third overall and winning the Queen of the Mountains jersey as the top climber. While Italian home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini held on to her overnight lead to take the title for a second straight year, Gigante was thrilled to finish her breakthrough event, in which she won two mountain stages in four days, with a place on the podium. Better still, she produced the goods on the final hilly stage to take the Queen of the Mountains jersey as top climber, going past the overnight leader, Spain's Usoa Ostolaza. "I can't believe how well this week went," said Gigante, who is making a remarkable comeback to the sport after surgery last year to fix the debilitating condition, Iliac artery endofibrosis. "I never expected this. My main concern was just being able to compete again without pain." The 24-year-old follows her countrywoman Neve Bradbury, who also finished third in the 2024 event, and joins Amanda Spratt (3rd in 2018 and 2019), Kathryn Watt (2nd in 1994 and 3rd in 1990) and Elisabeth Hepple (2nd in the inaugural 1988 event) in the Giro's Australian roll of honour. After taking the race lead off Marlen Reusser on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini successfully defended the pink jersey on the final 134km stage eight from Forlì to Imola, finishing fourth behind her Swiss rival on the day. Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) ended up victorious by 18 seconds ahead of Movistar's Reusser, with Gigante unable to make any inroads into the champion's overnight lead of 71 seconds over the Melbourne rider. The stage was won by Movistar's Liane Lippert, who beat Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) in a two-up sprint at the famous Imola racetrack, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, after the pair had escaped from a group of a dozen riders, including Gigante, in the last 3km. The hilly route provided Gigante's key to the Queen of the Mountains blue jersey prize. She had been lying one point behind Ostolaza overnight, but won the first mountain sprint in Monticino to regain a lead that she wasn't about to relinquish. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) then went on a solo breakaway to win an intermediate sprint and seal her points classification victory. "It's been an incredible Giro - for me and for the team. The last eight days were full gas: we had a common goal, and we achieved it," Longo Borghini said.
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Aussie Gigante climbs the podium at Giro d'Italia
Sarah Gigante has completed her dazzling maiden Giro d'Italia by finishing third overall and winning the Queen of the Mountains jersey as the top climber. While Italian home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini held on to her overnight lead to take the title for a second straight year, Gigante was thrilled to finish her breakthrough event, in which she won two mountain stages in four days, with a place on the podium. Better still, she produced the goods on the final hilly stage to take the Queen of the Mountains jersey as top climber, going past the overnight leader, Spain's Usoa Ostolaza. "I can't believe how well this week went," said Gigante, who is making a remarkable comeback to the sport after surgery last year to fix the debilitating condition, Iliac artery endofibrosis. "I never expected this. My main concern was just being able to compete again without pain." The 24-year-old follows her countrywoman Neve Bradbury, who also finished third in the 2024 event, and joins Amanda Spratt (3rd in 2018 and 2019), Kathryn Watt (2nd in 1994 and 3rd in 1990) and Elisabeth Hepple (2nd in the inaugural 1988 event) in the Giro's Australian roll of honour. After taking the race lead off Marlen Reusser on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini successfully defended the pink jersey on the final 134km stage eight from Forlì to Imola, finishing fourth behind her Swiss rival on the day. Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) ended up victorious by 18 seconds ahead of Movistar's Reusser, with Gigante unable to make any inroads into the champion's overnight lead of 71 seconds over the Melbourne rider. The stage was won by Movistar's Liane Lippert, who beat Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) in a two-up sprint at the famous Imola racetrack, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, after the pair had escaped from a group of a dozen riders, including Gigante, in the last 3km. The hilly route provided Gigante's key to the Queen of the Mountains blue jersey prize. She had been lying one point behind Ostolaza overnight, but won the first mountain sprint in Monticino to regain a lead that she wasn't about to relinquish. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) then went on a solo breakaway to win an intermediate sprint and seal her points classification victory. "It's been an incredible Giro - for me and for the team. The last eight days were full gas: we had a common goal, and we achieved it," Longo Borghini said.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
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Aussie Gigante climbs the podium at Giro d'Italia
Sarah Gigante has completed her dazzling maiden Giro d'Italia by finishing third overall and winning the Queen of the Mountains jersey as the top climber. While Italian home favourite Elisa Longo Borghini held on to her overnight lead to take the title for a second straight year, Gigante was thrilled to finish her breakthrough event, in which she won two mountain stages in four days, with a place on the podium. Better still, she produced the goods on the final hilly stage to take the Queen of the Mountains jersey as top climber, going past the overnight leader, Spain's Usoa Ostolaza. "I can't believe how well this week went," said Gigante, who is making a remarkable comeback to the sport after surgery last year to fix the debilitating condition, Iliac artery endofibrosis. "I never expected this. My main concern was just being able to compete again without pain." The 24-year-old follows her countrywoman Neve Bradbury, who also finished third in the 2024 event, and joins Amanda Spratt (3rd in 2018 and 2019), Kathryn Watt (2nd in 1994 and 3rd in 1990) and Elisabeth Hepple (2nd in the inaugural 1988 event) in the Giro's Australian roll of honour. After taking the race lead off Marlen Reusser on the penultimate stage, Longo Borghini successfully defended the pink jersey on the final 134km stage eight from Forlì to Imola, finishing fourth behind her Swiss rival on the day. Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) ended up victorious by 18 seconds ahead of Movistar's Reusser, with Gigante unable to make any inroads into the champion's overnight lead of 71 seconds over the Melbourne rider. The stage was won by Movistar's Liane Lippert, who beat Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) in a two-up sprint at the famous Imola racetrack, the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, after the pair had escaped from a group of a dozen riders, including Gigante, in the last 3km. The hilly route provided Gigante's key to the Queen of the Mountains blue jersey prize. She had been lying one point behind Ostolaza overnight, but won the first mountain sprint in Monticino to regain a lead that she wasn't about to relinquish. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) then went on a solo breakaway to win an intermediate sprint and seal her points classification victory. "It's been an incredible Giro - for me and for the team. The last eight days were full gas: we had a common goal, and we achieved it," Longo Borghini said.
