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CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland : Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy will take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the European Masters after a blistering third round of 66 on Saturday.
Victory on Sunday would make the 19-year-old, who has led this Alpine event from the start, the third youngest youngest winner in European Tour history.
South African Dale Hayes was only 18 when he won the 1971 Spanish Open, while Seve Ballesteros was just five days younger than McIlroy at the 1976 Dutch Open.
The Northern Irishman, who carded a 63 in Thursday's first round, stands at 13 under par for the tournament.
His closest challengers, all on nine under, are England's Robert Dinwiddie, French pair Christian Cevaer and Jean-Francois Lucquin, Spaniard Alejandro Canizares, Argentina's Juan Abbate and also Julien Clement, a Swiss player ranked 779th in the world.
Australia's defending champion Brett Rumford, joint top at halfway with McIlroy, threw down the gauntlet with an opening 40-foot eagle putt.
But McIlroy had already hit his approach to the par five to three feet, made the putt for a matching three and by adding six birdies went on to score a 66 to the Australian's 73.
McIlroy, who for his eagle on the 543-yard first needed only a drive and nine-iron, said: "That settled my nerves. It was definitely more satisfying than the 63 given the circumstances. Brett is a very good player and five under was a very good effort.
"This is my first time in this situation and I'm just really looking forward to tomorrow. I don't want to take my foot off the pedal - I've a four-shot lead and I'd like a six-shot lead tomorrow."
- AFP /ls
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