Rory McIlroy Trails by Nine Shots at Australian Open After Masters Triumph

Rory McIlroy finds himself nine shots behind leader Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen as the final day of the Australian Open approaches. The event is taking place at Royal Melbourne, a prestigious venue for the game.

Current Standings at the Australian Open

McIlroy, who claimed victory at this tournament back in 2013, wrapped up the third round with a score of 68. He currently shares the 24th position at five-under par. His performance was buoyed by a strong finish on the previous day, where he secured three birdies in his last four holes.

Challenges Faced

Despite his efforts, McIlroy faced challenges on the course. A peculiar double-bogey on the second hole hampered his start. The incident occurred when his ball landed next to a banana skin, complicating his tee shot. After this setback, he managed to register two birdies, four pars, and a bogey on the front nine.

Performance Overview

In the latter part of the round, McIlroy turned his game around, tallying four birdies from the 10th hole onwards. However, Neergaard-Petersen maintained pace, carding a 66 and moving to 14-under, two shots ahead of the competition.

Quotes from McIlroy

When discussing the difficult moment on the second hole, McIlroy stated, “It was sort of a double whammy – it was in the tough grass and under a banana skin, but I shouldn’t have been there in the first place. I didn’t get off to a great start, but I played well from there. I am probably going to be too far behind to challenge tomorrow.”

Other Competitors

In other news, Scotland’s Cameron Adam is making waves in just his second professional tournament. He is currently at four-under par, sharing the 29th place with fellow Scot David Young.

• Rory McIlroy: Position – T24, Score – 5-under
• Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen: Position – Leader, Score – 14-under
• Cameron Adam: Position – T29, Score – 4-under
• David Young: Position – T29, Score – 4-under

As the Australian Open concludes, all eyes will be on whether McIlroy can make a significant comeback despite his current nine-shot deficit.