“We kind of pushed each other,” said McIlroy, happy to have “stay patient” early in the game when Hovland made his first nice birdies.

The two men returned a -6 card for a total of -16 and, before the last lap on Sunday, they have a substantial lead over the American Cameron Young (-1 on Saturday) and the Australian Cameron Smith (+1 on Saturday ) who was the leader at the start of the 3rd lap.

Hovland, player of the European Tour in search, at 24, of his first Major, and McIlroy who aims at 33, a fifth Major eight years after the last one he obtained (PGA Championship 2014), shared the penultimate part.

The Norwegian drew the first by chaining four birdies from hole 3 to 6. But after three birdies on the way, the Northern Irishman McIlroy took out the heavy artillery with a masterful eagle on the 10th to come back up to his partner who signed a fifth birdie there.

Norwegian Viktor Hovland attempts a putt on the 13th hole green during the 3rd round of the British Open on July 16, 2022 on the Saint Andrews course (Scotland) Andy Buchanan AFP

"Very happy"

From the deep bunker located about ten meters from the entrance to the green, McIlroy released the ball which rolled to fall directly into the hole.

The joy of Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, after his eagle on the 10th hole from the bunker, during the 3rd round of the British Open, July 16, 2022 on the course of Saint Andrews (Scotland) Glyn KIRK AFP

McIlroy missed another eagle by a few centimeters at 14, but did not tremble for the birdie which allowed him to take the lead alone (-16).

But on the 17th, he missed his approach and his ball crossed the road that runs along the green of the most feared hole in Saint Andrews (the famous Road Hole) and stopped a few centimeters from the wall bordering said road... Very embarrassed to make his swing, he nevertheless managed to put his ball on the raised green but the putt he had left was distant and he could not avoid the bogey, the only one on his card.

Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy tries to approach the green despite the wall along the road to the 17th hole, during the 3rd round of the British Open, July 16, 2022 on the course of Saint Andrews (Scotland) Glyn KIRK AFP

"It could have been a lot worse!, said McIlroy. The ball could have been against the wall. So to manage to put my chip on the green and finish in two putts... five strokes" on this par 4.

The two players finished the course on a birdie at 18, the sixth for Hovland, the fifth for McIlroy.

Lens Claret Jug

“I probably won't forget this game anytime soon!”, said Hovland, who also had to play a complicated shot at 17 from a dirt road between the green and the road.

He was able to play it with the putter and got within par range.

"I played very well and it was great to share this part with Rory", admitted the Norwegian who will have the pleasure of sharing another one with the Northern Irishman, this time with the Claret Jug in play, the famous trophy of The Open.

Norwegian Viktor Hovland, at the start of the 18th hole, during the 3rd round of the British Open, on July 16, 2022 on the course of Saint Andrews (Scotland) Paul ELLIS AFP

Hovland could become the first Norwegian to win a Major, which is the 150th British Open, and on the most historic of courses, the Old Course in Saint Andrews where the sport was born centuries ago.

"There is no better place" to win this first Major, he said.

"As a child, in Norway, it was The Open that I watched the most, I started watching it long before, for example, the Masters, he added. Winning the Major closest to my home, that would be something..."

But his main opponent has experienced these moments of immense pressure.

"I just have to stay on my game plan. That's all I can do and I've done it well those first three rounds since I got to this. Now it's got to be done one last time," explained McIlroy.

Like this year, he was at -16 after three rounds when he won The Open in 2014...

© 2022 AFP