Rory McIlroy and Chris Gotterup share third-round lead in Scotland

Rory McIlroy carded the joint lowest round of Saturday to join Chris Gotterup in a share of the lead at the Genesis Scottish Open.

McIlroy began Moving Day four shots behind the overnight leader, but he reeled in the American with a patient 66 to set the clubhouse target of 11 under at the Renaissance Club.

Gotterup, who equalled the course record on Friday, missed a lengthy birdie putt at the last for the outright lead as he signed for a level-par third round.

McIlroy spoke about his renewed optimism on his first event in Europe since completing the career Grand Slam with his emotional Masters Tournament victory in April.

He put himself in pole position for a fifth Rolex Series triumph before next week's Open Championship on home soil at Royal Portrush.

"It's my first realistic chance to win after the Masters, and I've had a great season," McIlroy said.

"I won at Pebble. I won PLAYERS. I said this, when you do something that you've been dreaming your whole life to do, it was a huge moment in my life, my career.

"I think I just needed that little bit of time. And to be back here for last couple of weeks, and feel like I could actually digest all of it.

"I feel like I came to this tournament with renewed enthusiasm and excitement for the rest of the year."

Gotterup lipped out a testing birdie putt at the opening hole and he paid for that miss when he bogeyed the second.

His advantage had evaporated by the time he was on the fourth as Sweden's Ludvig Åberg and American Wyndham Clark climbed to ten under.

However, the overnight leader showed resilience at the fifth to reclaim the lead and he was inches away from being three clear after his tee shot at the par-three sixth lipped out.

He parred his way to the turn, but Åberg moved into sole second after bouncing back from a bogey at the eighth with birdies at the ninth and tenth to reach 11 under.

Jake Knapp replaced the Swede in solo second when he rolled in his fourth birdie of the day at the 14th and Åberg dropped a shot at the 12th.

Gotterup's advantage increased to two shots when Knapp carded his first bogey of the day at the 15th, but a certain Major Champion was closing in.

McIlroy, who reached the turn in 34 after two birdies and a bogey, tapped in for birdie at the tenth and climbed into double figures with a 13-foot putt at the 14th.

The Northern Irishman made a brilliant par save at the 15th and was rewarded with a birdie at the next to move within one shot of Gotterup.

That was until the leader three-putted at the 14th to slip back alongside McIlroy at 11 under.

The World Number Two parred his way home to set the clubhouse target. Gotterup had three holes left to play, but he followed McIlroy home with pars after missing his birdie effort from 22 feet at the last.

"I know what I'm capable of. I've won before," Gotterup said. "Obviously different tournament. But I won in college and I've won before. So I know what it takes.

"It's going to take a good round for sure and I'm going to go give it my best.

"I'm in a good spot. If you came to me on Tuesday and said that was the case, I would have taken it. I'm excited for tomorrow and yeah, a good day ahead of us."

American pair Clark and Knapp sat alongside English duo Matt Fitzpatrick and Marco Penge in a tie for third at nine under.

At seven under, Åberg led an eight-strong group with European Ryder Cup team-mate Sepp Straka, Americans Andrew Novak and Harris English, Germany's Matti Schmid, South Korean Tom Kim, Chinese Taipei's Kevin Yu and Frenchman Antoine Rozner.

Due to forecasted haar (dense sea fog) in the North Berwick area in the morning and evening, tee times for Sunday’s final round of the Genesis Scottish Open have been adjusted.

There will now be a two tee start from the first and tenth tees between approximately 11:30 and 13:40, with final putt expected at approximately 19:00.

To learn more abour haar, click here.