Rory McIlroy shoots 64 on moving day at British Masters

Rory McIlroy shot a brilliant 64 to force himself into contention for a first win of the year in the British Masters.

Rory didn’t drop a single shot in his moving day round at Close House, which gave him the clubhouse lead with Sweden’s David Lingmerth.

“You get yourself into contention and you start to think about things and it would be nice to get a win,” said McIlroy after shooting his lowest European Tour score in two years.

“Hopefully I’m in at least the last half a dozen groups tomorrow and it will be nice to feel that again.

“The crowds have been fantastic. The last couple of tournaments I’ve been off pretty early on the weekends and had 50 people following me, where there’s thousands out there so it’s nice to get into that sort of environment again.

“I haven’t shot a low score like that in a while, so it was nice to see. I had not really got off to a good start the last couple of days, so to be three under through six it was nice to get off to a start like that.”

He joined Swede David Lingmerth as the clubhouse leader. Lingmerth shot the lowest round of the week, with an eight-under par 62.

McIlroy is now ten under in a group of five players, including George Coetzee and Shane Lowry, two shots behind the leader Robert Karlsson.

Overnight leader Hatton, got off to a shaky start with a dropped shot on the second, and with just a single birdie, made the turn in 35.

Tyrrell Hatton - all smiles until the 18th

A single birdie, set off with a single bogey, saw him looking to post an even par 70 to keep a share of the lead with Robert Karlsson, but a dropped shot at the par three 18th saw him drop back into the chasing pack, leaving Karlsson, who shot a three under 67, as the sole leader. 

Just a single shot back are Ian Poulter, Richie Ramsay, Graeme Storm, Paul Dunne and now Tyrrell Hatton. They are all very much in contention for what should be a thrilling final day of the British Masters.

Related:

Postman gets his day on Sergio's bag