Horizon Irish Open - Day three digest

Everything you need to know from Moving Day at The K Club.

Long climbed to the top of the leaderboard while McIlroy catapulted himself into contention on day three of the 2023 Horizon Irish Open.

Here is everything you need to know from Moving Day at The K Club.

Long takes over at the top

With the final group slipping backwards on Saturday, Hurly Long took full advantage, carding four birdies and two bogeys in a third-round 70 to reach 13 under par and open up a one-shot lead over nearest challenger Jordan Smith. The German is looking forward to teeing it up alongside crowd favourite Rory McIlroy on Sunday. He said: "It's exciting. Last year at The Belfry I was leading after two rounds, and there were ginormous crowds out there as well. So I can take something from that. I've got a good attitude. I know it's going to be way more difficult tomorrow than it was even today but you can feed off that just as well. So I'm just looking forward to it either way."

McIlroy storms into contention

With enormous crowds watching on, World Number Two McIlroy produced some of his very best golf as he posted a stunning 66 to climb to 11 under par and sit just two shots off the lead with 18 holes to play. Knowing he needed a big day after opening rounds of 69 and 70 had left him some way off the pace, the Northern Irishman picked up birdies at the first and fourth before saving par on the seventh despite dunking his tee-shot in the water. He flew out of the blocks on the back nine, birdieing the tenth, 12th and 13th to move to ten under before bouncing back from his first bogey of the day on the 16th with back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th. McIlroy is excited to challenge for a second Irish Open title on Sunday. He said: "It's really exciting. Last night I thought I was maybe a little bit too far behind and out of it but I played a really good round of golf today to get myself back in it and I'm excited to have another opportunity (to win the Irish Open) tomorrow."

Lucky break

McIlroy got a huge slice of luck shortly after finding the water at the 16th. From the drop zone, his fourth shot hit a rock on the edge of the water before bouncing on to the green. Although he narrowly missed his par attempt, he managed to escape with just a bogey.

Early riser Horschel makes big stride

Teeing off at 09:25 local time on Saturday morning, Billy Horschel showed the later starters what was possible out there as he fired a 66 which contained an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys. The American turned in 30 after following up back-to-back birdies at the first and second with an eagle on the long fourth before getting his third birdie of the day on the par-three eighth. He then mixed three birdies with two bogeys on the back nine to sign for a 66 and jump up to nine under par. Horschel said: "It feels really good to play a good round of golf today. Should probably have been three or four better - a couple of bad bogeys, still sloppy mistakes I'm making after a month off. I missed a couple of putts that I wish I would have had back, but overall, six under any day, you'll take it."