Published Sunday, 23 September 2012
Rory McIlroy watches his tee shot on the second hole in Atlanta. (© Getty)
The Holywood man is three shots off the pace going into the final day of the PGA Tour Championship.
On Saturday McIlroy shot a third round 68 and was tied with Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk in fourth place.
The tournament is the last leg of the FedEx Cup play-offs and it will be a case of winner-takes-all, as McIlroy bids to lift his third consecutive trophy and with it a staggering payout.
The 23-year-old, who carded two bogeys and four birdies, admitted saving par on the 18th from a greenside bunker could prove crucial, adding: "It depends on how I play tomorrow.
"I wanted to make it (the par putt) because I didn't want to give a shot away right at the end," he added.
Currently in the lead is England's Justin Rose with Brandt Snedeker on eight under par.
American Ryan Moore (65) was alone in third on six under, with McIlroy, Watson and Furyk sharing fourth on five under.
McIlroy's 68 was his 11th successive sub-70 score, but the world number one knows he could need even better on Sunday to deny Snedeker.
Furyk, who lifted the huge prize two years ago on the eve of the last Ryder Cup, moved out in front on Friday by going to the turn in a spectacular 29 and handing in a 64.
But after one birdie and 15 pars left him in a share of the lead on the 17th, the Ryder Cup player ran up a triple-bogey seven after finding water off the tee.
Woods is four off the lead on four under after a 67, with Luke Donald a shot further back after matching that score largely thanks to holing his second shot to the 14th for an eagle two.