Rory McIlroy struggled to find any sort of consistency this evening at Royal Troon and carded a third round 73 to leave him 11 shots off the pace heading into the final round.
McIlroy picked up three bogeys in his opening five holes and missed a number of opportunities to pick up shots along the front nine.
"[Being two voer after three] was tough," he told Sky Sports after his round. "I've been saying all week that that part of the course - the first seven holes - is where you need to make your scores and make your birdies.
"Being two over after three isn't ideal obviously, but I knew I had two par-fives coming. When I made birdie on the fourth I thought OK, I'm back into it and let's just try and play our way into contention.
"I actually had some chances [to pick up birdies] on the seventh and eight and ninth actually. I just didn't convert so when I was looking to go out in something like 32 or 33 and end up with a 37 it's tough and it's hard to expect you to shoot something good on the back nine because it's playing so tough."
When asked what he thought the problems were the issues he faced today he said: "The speed and the wind. I think the wind played a bit of a factor and some of those short putts I missed yesterday and today... I just wasn't really comfortable over them."
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