Published Sunday, 12 August 2012
Rory McIlroy talks to his caddie J.P. Fitzgerald on the first tee during Round 3 (© Getty)
McIlroy birdied five of the first eight holes - and saved a remarkable par after his ball stuck in a tree - but with a bogey on the ninth retreated to the clubhouse level with Vijay Singh and one ahead of Australian Adam Scott.
That was because of an approaching thunderstorm along the South Carolina coast, which prevented the round being completed before nightfall.
After starting with back-to-back birdies the Holywood man was involved in a search for his ball and it needed a television replay to show that it had lodged eight feet off the ground.
McIlroy, having reached up to retrieve, took a penalty drop, pitched on to seven feet and made it to save par.
Graeme McDowell is in a tie for seventh at two under.
Tiger Woods, who had resumed as joint leader with Singh, dropped all the way into an eight-way tie for 11th five strokes behind.
At 6.30pm it was announced there would be no further play and that the third round would resume at 7.45am local time on Sunday.