Rory McIlroy chasing Canadian Open three-peat with Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood in contention | Golf News

CT Pan holds a two-shot lead on the RBC Canadian Open, with Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose all in the group sharing second; Watch the ultimate spherical dwell on Sunday from 5pm on Sky Sports Golf

Rory McIlroy is inside two pictures of the lead heading into the ultimate spherical of the RBC Canadian Open

Rory McIlroy has set his sights on a historic third consecutive RBC Canadian Open title after shifting inside two strokes of the lead heading into the ultimate spherical in Toronto.

The world No 3, who has gained the final two editions of the occasion in 2019 and 2022, fired six birdies in an excellent bogey-free 66 at Oakdale Golf & Country Club on Saturday to remain in contact with 54-hole chief CT Pan.

McIlroy briefly jumped into the solo lead when he adopted a front-nine 33 by firing three consecutive birdies from the eleventh, though a three-putt par on the final leaves him in a six-way tie for second on 12 below.

Rory McIlroy has carded rounds of 71, 67 and 66 over the primary three days

“It’s great to put myself in with a shot tomorrow,” McIlroy stated. “I never won a tournament three times in a row. I felt like last year the win wasn’t just for me it was for a few other things. But this one, this year, if I were able to get over the line, will be solely for me.”

Pan birdied his remaining two holes to shut a third-round 66 and transfer high of a congested leaderboard on 14 below, whereas McIlroy is joined two strokes again by Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Mark Hubbard, Andrew Novak and Harry Higgs.

Justin Rose is chasing a second win of the 12 months, following on from February’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am success

Rose charged into contention by birdieing six of his final seven holes to card a six-under 66, as Fleetwood recovered from a gradual begin to make a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh and add 5 extra on his again 9 to register a third-round 64.

“I felt like the leaderboard’s been very, very bunched up, so just staying hanging around sort of over those first two days was important,” Fleetwood stated. “A great round going today and you just have to go out and enjoy those days when they come.”

England’s Aaron Rai birdied the par-five final to maneuver to 11 below and into tied-eighth alongside Canada’s Nick Taylor, who charged into contention earlier in the day with a round-of-the-day 62, whereas Corey Conners completes the top-10 and is 4 again on ten below.

Tyrrell Hatton fell six off the tempo after solely making a level-par 72 on a low-scoring day, whereas US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick is contained in the top-20 and eight behind after a three-under 69.

Who will win the RBC Canadian Open? Watch early protection of the ultimate spherical on Sunday from 5pm on Sky Sports Golf, forward of full protection from 6pm.