Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy’s standing on the leaderboard at the Texas Open took a hit after recording a level-par 72 in the third round. McIlroy, who currently holds the world number two ranking, now finds himself trailing the leader, Akshay Bhatia, by 10 shots, following Bhatia’s impressive four-under par 68 performance.
In the first two days, McIlroy had only one bogey, but he encountered a rough start on Saturday with a double-bogey. Although he finished on a positive note with birdies on his last two holes, Bhatia matched his strong finish, maintaining a four-shot lead over runner-up Denny McCarthy, who posted an impressive five-under 67. Brendon Todd trails Bhatia by seven shots.
In addition to the stiff competition, 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama put on an impressive display, carding six birdies for a score of 66, putting him eight shots behind Bhatia at seven under.
Meanwhile, McIlroy’s Ryder Cup teammate, Tommy Fleetwood, also faced a challenging day, ending the round with a level-par score in San Antonio.
The outcome has placed McIlroy in a precarious position as he prepares for The Masters next week, with the upcoming tournament posing a significant challenge for the golfer.