Mcilroy snares lead; top ranking in reach

Kitayama, product of UNLV, one shot back

RIDGELAND, S.C. — Rory Mcilroy made two eagles that made the rest of his day feel better Saturday at the CJ Cup. His 4-under-par 67 was enough for a one-shot lead and a clear road to return to No. 1 in the world.

Mcilroy hit a 6-iron that took the slope and rolled out to 2 feet for eagle on the par-5 fourth. He smashed a 376-yard drive and made his second eagle with a 30foot putt from the tightly mown grass off the green on the par-5 12th.

The rest of the round was even par, a mix of good birdies and sloppy bogeys, and it added to a one-shot lead over UNLV product Kurt Kitayama (70), Jon Rahm (70) and K.H. Lee (66).

“You take away those two holes, and I was even par for the rest of the round,” Mcilroy said. “Felt like it was a little scrappy coming in but did enough to hang in there and shoot a solid score.”

Mcilroy was at 13-under 200, with hopes set on going back to No. 1 in the world for the ninth time and first since the summer of 2020.

Having been there, all he said he truly cared about was winning.

Ditto for Rahm, who scrapped through a series of bogeys. He started the second round tied for the lead and was five shots behind when Mcilroy made his eagle on No. 12.

But the big Spaniard was solid coming in, picking off birdies with two good bunker shots and making a great escape for par on the 16th, where he purposely took free relief into the trees because of a tiny gap.

Kitayama is the most curious of the contenders, a 29-year-old Californian who spent two years on the Korn Ferry Tour without much success and then four years toiling across Asia and Europe, winning three times.

He battled Rahm in the Mexico

Open and finished one back. He finished one behind Las Vegas resident Xander Schauffele in the Scottish Open. Saturday was the first time he had a share of the lead going into the weekend on the PGA Tour.

■ LPGA: At Wonju, South Korea, second-ranked Atthaya Thitikul, 19, had five back-nine birdies in a 5-under 67 for a 15-under 201 total to take a one-shot lead into the BMW Ladies Championship’s final round. Fifth-ranked Lydia Ko (66), a 17-time winner on tour, and second-round leader Andrea Lee (70) were tied for second.

■ DP World: At Palma, Spain, Yannik Paul shot 9-under 62 to tie Ryan Fox (65) at 16-under 197 for a two-stroke lead entering the Mallorca Open’s final round. Marcus Armitage (63) and second-round leader Dale Whitnell (68) were tied for third. Richard Mansell was another shot back after his course-record 61.

■ Champions: At Richmond, Va., Jerry Kelly maintained his two-stroke lead entering the Dominion Energy Charity Classic’s final round, shooting 5-under 67 for a 12-under 132 total. Steven Alker (65) was alone in second.

The Associated Press Stephen B. Morton Rory Mcilroy follows through on a drive from the 12th tee Saturday during the CJ Cup’s third round at Congaree Golf Club.