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Rory McIlroy birdied four of his final five holes to card a fine eight-under par 62 and open up a one-shot lead at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational.<\/p>\nRory McIlroy birdied four of his final five holes to card a fine eight-under par 62 and open up a one-shot lead at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational.<\/p>\n
Just over a week on from missing the cut at the Open at Portrush, the Northern Irishman, who had started the day five shots off the lead, registered nine birdies and a bogey as he moved to 12 under in Memphis.<\/p>\n
The world number three opened what was the joint-lowest round of the week with a birdie, added another on the third and then three in a row from the seventh, before finishing strong.<\/p>\n
World number one Brooks Koepka is second after the American produced a round of 64 featuring seven birdies and one bogey.<\/p>\n
We’re very fortunate in golf that there’s always next week, you can respond so quickly from setbacks and failures<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is exciting,\u201d McIlroy told the European Tour. \u201cHe\u2019s (Koepka) the number one player in the world, four majors in the last three years, he\u2019s the man right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got to play with him the last couple of days and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed seeing what he can do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last four missed cuts that I\u2019ve had, I\u2019ve finished first, second, first and 12th, I\u2019m a quick learner. We\u2019re very fortunate in golf that there\u2019s always next week, you can respond so quickly from setbacks and failures.<\/p>\n
\u201cTomorrow\u2019s a new day. Whatever happened today is great but I\u2019ve got to reset and try and go again tomorrow. I think it\u2019s nice that I\u2019ve seen some really good golf and I\u2019ve seen some putts fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if it gives you momentum but it gives you confidence going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Overnight leader Matt Fitzpatrick lies third, one stroke behind Koepka, after a 69.<\/p>\n
The Englishman bounced back from a double-bogey on the 12th and bogeys on the 13th and 15th by making successive birdies on the 16th and 17th.<\/p>\n
When asked if he was pleased with how he fought back at the end, Fitzpatrick told Sky Sports: \u201cYes, definitely.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I played pretty solid, certainly the front nine, lots of fairways and greens. I struggled a little bit in the middle of the back nine, but to get it back under par I felt was probably fair.\u201d<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s Marc Leishman, Sweden\u2019s Alex Noren and Spain\u2019s Jon Rahm are tied in fourth at nine under.<\/p>\n
Fitzpatrick\u2019s compatriot Ian Poulter is among a trio a shot further back, along with Thorbjorn Olesen of Norway and US player Billy Horschel.<\/p>\n
And another Englishman, Tommy Fleetwood, is one of four players on seven under. He is joined by Americans Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson.<\/p>\n