McIlroy dazzles, shoots 4-under 66 for Honda lead

Associated Press

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA.

Tiger Woods finished his round before the leaders made the turn Saturday in the Honda Classic, only this time, thousands of fans didn’t head for the parking lot. They went looking for the kid who already looks the part as golf’s next star.

U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy put on quite a show at PGA National.

From mangled rough right of the 11th fairway, he measured up a 7-iron from 181 yards and figured it was worth the risk to take on the water in front of the green. The ball cleared the hazard by no more than a yard, and McIlroy seized on the moment by holing a 50-foot birdie from the back of the fringe.

Two par saves were equally important on the back nine, and a birdie from the front bunker on the par-5 18th gave him a 4-under 66, matching the low round of a windy afternoon and giving him a two-shot lead.

That left the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland one round away from becoming the second-youngest player behind Woods to reach No. 1 in the world. He would have to win the Honda Classic to replace Luke Donald atop the ranking.

“I definitely feel like I need to put it out of my mind tomorrow,” McIlroy said. “I need to focus on just trying to win this golf tournament. It might be a little difficult.”

McIlroy was in a similar spot last week when he reached the final of the Match Play Championship, knowing a win would make him No. 1. Only this time, there is more than Hunter Mahan in this way.

McIlroy, at 11-under 199, had a two-shot lead over 22-year-old rookie Harris English (66) and 43-year-old Tom Gillis (69). Seven players were within five shots of the lead, a group that includes PGA champion Keegan Bradley and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

The difference from last week?

“I wasn’t standing up 2 up on the first tee in the final,” McIlroy said, smiling.