Finland’s Mikko Ilonen is still the leader in the clubhouse after three rounds of the Irish Open, but the pressure is most definitely on the No. 63 player in the world entering the final round.
England’s Danny Willett fired a third-round 63, the best score of the tournament to date, to climb within a stroke of Ilonen at the end of play on Saturday.
And right behind him is Graeme McDowell, the No. 22 player int he world, fresh off a 69, his third straight round shooting under 70.
Ilonen shot a 69 on Saturday and is 12-under. Willett, barely a blip on the radar with a 73 on Day One, has since shot a 66 and a 63 to reach 11-under. He was tied for 26th to start the day.
His card on Saturday was buffeted by an ace on No. 7, the same hole he bogeyed in the first round. He closed his run on Saturday with four birdies in the last five holes.
McDowell, Ilonen and Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg, who is tied for fourth at 9-under, are the only three players to shoot less than 70 in each of the first three rounds.
In total, 11 players are within five strokes of the lead, as four players are at 9-under and another five are 8-under.
Former Major winner Padraig Harrington dropped to a tie for 15th at 6-under after shooting a 71 on Saturday.
Meanwhile, US Open amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick, competing in his first event since turning pro, carded a 70 and is tied for 43 at 2-under.
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