McIlroy Stages Dramatic Comeback, But Faces Uphill Battle at Australian Open
Rory McIlroy delivered a thrilling finish to his third round at the Australian Open, but remains a considerable distance behind leader Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen heading into Sunday’s final round at Royal Melbourne. after a shaky start, McIlroy birdied his final two holes to card a 3-under 69, finishing at 5-under overall.This salvaged a day that threatened to derail his chances of lifting the Stonehaven Cup for a second time.
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What a finish from Rory! 🔥pic.twitter.com/CvPJce pic.twitter.com/eNUsWmBYUf
– Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 6, 2025
the day began with frustration for the Masters champion. He struggled to find his rhythm early on, with opportunities slipping by. Pars on the 10th and 11th only amplified the sense of urgency, and his body language clearly showed his awareness of lost chances.
Though, McIlroy’s fortunes dramatically shifted at the par-4 12th. He sunk a stunning, breaking putt from distance, igniting the gallery and injecting much-needed momentum into his round. This pivotal moment seemed to unlock something within his game.
He followed with a par on the 13th, leaving him five holes to make a significant move. And he responded. A birdie at the 14th was followed by pars on 15 and 16. Then came a remarkable repeat of his second-round heroics on the par-5 17th.
Facing a similar predicament – a tee shot in the right rough with an obstructing branch – McIlroy once again displayed his exceptional skill. He shaped a stunning three-wood shot and followed it up with a delicate chip, setting up another birdie. He moved to 4-under, 2-under for the day.
“I feel like I haven’t really got a lot of momentum at all over the past three days,” McIlroy admitted.”When the putts hang on the lip like that, it just feels a bit like the story of the week. But maybe turned it around with the last few holes there coming in.”
He capped off the round with a birdie-birdie finish, mirroring his strong close on Saturday. A precise drive on 18,a well-placed wedge,and a confidently made birdie putt completed his comeback.
Can McIlroy Overcome the Deficit?
Despite the impressive recovery, the question remains: is he too far back to contend for the title?
“If the guys get to sort of 13 or 14 under, then I think I’ll be a bit too far back,” mcilroy assessed. “but if they stay where they are at the minute, sort of around that 10, 11 mark, then yeah, I feel like I would have a chance from there.”
He believes a low round is within his reach, but acknowledges it might not be enough. “I think if everything comes together for me, I can shoot a pretty low one out there. But whether that’s good enough or not, I’m not sure.”
Ultimately, McIlroy will need a combination of stellar play and some help from the leaders on Sunday.
Leaderboard Snapshot
Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen holds a commanding two-shot lead at 14-under. He’s closely followed by Carlos Ortiz, Cam Smith, and Si Woo Kim, all tied for second at 12-under.
Here’s a look at the top contenders
