McIlroy sends a drive down the 12th tee that barely gets above knee height.
It's another stinger and it finds the short stuff.
Cantlay opts for a higher ball flight and also will be playing his second from the fairway.
McIlroy sends a drive down the 12th tee that barely gets above knee height.
It's another stinger and it finds the short stuff.
Cantlay opts for a higher ball flight and also will be playing his second from the fairway.
McIlroy -6, Cantlay -5 (11)
McIlroy goes first with his birdie putt and he's delighted that it stops at gimme range.
Likewise Cantlay.
DeChambeau -7 (10)
We told you Bryson was close.
Can he convert?
It's got his full attention this one.
And it drops.
Ahead by one, again.
He heads towards the 11th tee and stops to sign a few autographs.
He's loving every minute of this, and so are we.
McIlroy and Cantlay have long birdie puts at the 11th.
Both aren't pleased though, and would be happy to escape without dropping shots.
McIlroy is seething with his approach and groans loudly.
Bryson zips a low spinning wedge close at the par-5 10th.
Great look for birdie to take the lead again
McIlroy -6, Cantlay -5 (10)
Oh me oh my.
Rory McIlroy was in trouble off the tee. As was his playing partner.
Both players lay up and have outside chances of making birdie.
McIlroy is first to putt and he drains an absolute bomb!
His putt just about catches the left edge.
Now can Cantlay follow him in? Yes!
It's all kicking off!
Matsuyama -1 (10)
Hideki Mastuyama was poised to make a charge.
But the former Masters champion hasn't got anything going.
He's just made bogey at the ninth to turn in one-over and trails by six.
DeChambeau -6, Pavon -2 (9)
Bryson has a super quick putt down the hill at the par-3 ninth.
He judges it perfectly and it's a gimme par.
Only nine holes left.
Now can he find the fairway at the 10th?
No! He's gone right just like McIlroy and Cantlay before him.
We're shocked to inform you Rory McIlroy has missed a fairway at the par-5 10th.
Any chance of going for the green is surely gone now after he finds the waste area.
Patrick Cantlay is also in the same vicinity as McIlroy.
DeChambeau -6, Pavon -2 (8)
"Yeah, let's go!"
The words of Bryson DeChambeau, who saves par at the eighth after being in a world of trouble off the tee.
Pavon falls further behind with a bogey...
Henley -2 (14)
Russell Henley moves to four-under on the day, thanks to back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th...
McIlroy -5, Cantlay -4 (9)
My word. That is huge for Rory McIlroy.
His birdie putt at the ninth just about sneaks in the right edge.
Can Cantlay respond? Nope! It's high.
McIlroy moves within one of DeChambeau, who has a difficult par putt upcoming after finding trouble off the tee...
Two beautiful iron shots from Cantlay and Rory.
They both have chances at the par-3 ninth, which is quite some going given the pin position...
McIlroy -4, Cantlay -4 (7)
McIlroy channels his inner Houdini and escapes with a par yet again, this time holing out from five feet.
Cantlay has a slow birdie putt up the hill but he doesn't hit it.
Still, he taps in from inside two feet.
And as I type these words, we've just heard a huge 'fore right' shout from the leader.
This can't be good for Bryson...
DeChambeau -6, Pavon -3 (7)
DeChambeau and Pavon both walk off the seventh green with two pars.
The American takes the applause from the Pinehurst crowd.
McIlroy finds the fairway. Again.
Because what else is new?
But his approach into the eighth trundles off the green after barely catching a piece of the dancefloor.
He grimaces, because he knows what's coming.
Bogey incoming?
Get involved!
McIlroy -4, Cantlay -4 (7)
McIlroy looked like he didn't hit his greenside chip cleanly.
But it's a beauty and it gathers pace, eventually coming to a stop some five feet from the hole.
He holds his nerve.
Cantlay drains his birdie putt!
And just like that he's within two...
DeChambeau -6, Pavon -3 (6)
Just brilliant from DeChambeau and Pavon.
They scramble to save pars when both were staring bogey in the face.
DeChambeau strides to the seventh tee, shoulders back and looking confident...
McIlroy finds another fairway at the seventh.
Can he stick it close?
Nope.
It's long.
Nightmare stuff from McIlroy.
Meanwhile Cantlay sets up a glorious birdie chance.
Comical lie for Aberg...
DeChambeau -6, Pavon -3, (5)
Neither player takes advantage of the par-5 fifth.
In truth DeChambeau did ever so well to save par, two-putting from 28 feet.
At the next hole, both players come up short of the green with their tee shots.
And they've got work to do.
Again.
Cantlay -3, McIlroy -4 (6)
No bueno for the duo at the par-3 sixth.
Neither player threatened the hole with their birdie putts.
Still, pars are good.
Cantlay and McIlroy both find the putting surface at the par-3 sixth.
It's the American that has the better chance though.
McIlroy will be putting down the hill.
Aberg -1, Matsuyama -2 (6)
Our 36-hole leader moves back under par for the championship, courtesy of a monster drive at the fifth that travelled some 363 yards.
The Swede converts from 20 feet...