Rory McIlroy made a charge into the lead on Saturday at the 150th Open Championship with one of the best shots we might see all weekend on the Old Course at St. Andrews. Still looking to capture his first major since 2014, McIlroy has been playing tremendous golf not only this season but this week in Scotland.
McIlroy was just one shot off the lead as he stood in the middle of a pot bunker on No. 10, sitting just 82 feet away from the hole after a strong drive on the short par 4. He then delivered an absolutely perfect chip shot that resulted in a hole-out for eagle, giving McIlroy the solo lead at 15 under for a brief moment.
Rory. McIlroy.#The150thOpen pic.twitter.com/ZgVKfXf8ie
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 16, 2022
His playing partner, Viktor Hovland, soon tied that lead with his own birdie at No. 10.
The grounds at the Old Course have been buzzing all week but particularly Saturday once McIlroy starting carding red numbers at No. 5. he followed with birdies at No. 6 and No. 9 to go out in 33. Throwing down a hole-out eagle at No. 10 made it clear that McIlroy was not going to be left behind in this race for the lowest number on a scoring-friendly Saturday at the Open.
This isn't the first dramatic hole-out for McIlroy during this 2022 major championship season, as a similar shot on No. 18 at Augusta National helped power his solo runner-up finish at the Masters. While that effort did not result in the four-time major winner snapping what's become an eight-year major drought, McIlroy has so far lived up to the expectation of being the man to beat in the field at St. Andrews.
