Rory McIlroy climbed the leaderboard Saturday at the 2025 Open Championship thanks in large part to an electric eagle putt on the par-five 12th.

Viewed from the fairway, Rory McIlroy's eagle on the 12th hole Saturday was captivating theater. It seemed too slow for the longest time as it trickled to the ridge just a few feet from the hole, but it hit the downslope at the perfect speed.

Reality says Rory McIlroy isn’t going to hoist the Claret Jug on the 18th hole on Sunday evening here to deafening roars from the home fans.

Here's a look at how McIlroy scored in the third round of The Open Championship: McIlroy shot a 5-under 66 in the third round of The Open Championship on Saturday, July 19. Following an opening-round score of 1-under 70 and 2-under 69 in round two. He is now tied for fourth at 8 under par through three days of competition.

The Grand Slam winner trails Scottie Scheffler by six, but it almost doesn’t matter, writes Michael Rosenberg.

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Rory McIlroy gave the home crowds exactly what they craved on Saturday: He used the traditional third-round “moving day’’ to make a move up the leaderboard. McIlroy, who began the day at 3-under par, seven shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler, activated the huge Portrush crowds with a third-round 5-under-par 66.

Scheffler recorded a pair of birdies and an eagle at the seventh hole to create the separation going into Sunday. The impressive round gave him the 54-hole lead. He is 3-for-3 in majors when he owns the lead after the third round. The latest win came at the 2025 PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy shot 1 under Thursday at Royal Portrush, a better start than the first time he played the British Open at the Northern Ireland course near home.