On his own hopes of at last giving a partner to his 2013 US Open title and becoming the first Englishman in 105 years to win the US PGA, Rose was brimming with positivity. The veteran has fallen to 68th in the world rankings and is without a top 10 anywhere since the British Masters at the Belfry in July. But Rose excels on this type of stage and is alongside Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre (69) on 12-under and within three.
“I’ve always been good at sort of elevating my game to the situation,” Rose said. “And that’s what’s been motivating me to stick with it and keep working hard – to try to give myself the Indian summer of my career and to try to still steal one or two more of these to really make it a fantastic career. To win, I think it could take something similar to today. But it’s sort of like just a free-wheel opportunity.”
With 15 players within five of the pace, this could be a cavalry charge, a stampede to the line with runs of pars acting as brakes instead of consolidation. The layout is dartboard soft, there is barely a gust and the greens are so receptive and because of their essentially small nature, there is not much the organisers can do to tuck the pins. Hence a birdie feast, with an eagle side salad thrown in.
Lowry showed those in the pack what is possible. The 37-year-old started the third round in a tie for 29th, finished the day in a tie for fourth alongside the resurgent Norwegian Viktor Hovland (66) and everyone’s favourite big-hitter Bryson DdeChambeau (67) who chipped in on the last for a fist-pumping eagle
On eight-under and in a tie for 19th, McIlroy should take heart from the opportunity for huge leaderboard leaps as he looks for his fifth major triumph at the Jack Nicklaus design where he won his most recent 10 years ago. However, McIlroy looked bereft after his own birdie on the 18th for a 68. With good reason.
After bogeying the first, the world No 2 picked up a birdie on the driveable par-fourth fourth and when he reeled off more red numbers in succession from the seventh he was up to nine-under and in the mix. For context, he was only one behind Lowry, in the group ahead, at that stage.