Turkish Airlines Open 2015: Saturday Leaderboard Scores and Highlights

Rory McIlroy thrust himself into contention for glory at the Turkish Airlines Open on Saturday with a five-under-par round of 67, putting him one shot back from joint-leaders Jaco van Zyl and Victor Dubuisson.

The Northern Irishman built momentum brilliantly on the back nine, finishing up at 15 under par. There’ll be some fierce competition for the title, though, with Van Zyl and Dubuisson showing their quality over the first three days to each amass scores of 16-under, as well as Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who is level with McIlroy.

Here’s how the leaderboard is shaping up after Saturday’s action and a recap of the best bits on Moving Day at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal course.

Position	Player	Overall	Round 3 Score
T1	Victor Dubuisson	-16	67
T1	Jaco van Zyl	-16	70
T3	Rory McIlroy	-15	67
T3	Kiradech Aphibarnrat	-15	66
T5	Byeong-hun An	-13	65
T5	Chris Wood	-13	71
T7	Peter Uihlein	-12	67
T7	Lee Westwood	-12	69
T7	Richard Bland	-12	72

For the full leaderboard check out the European Tour website.

McIlroy in the Mix at Montgomerie Maxx Royal

Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

Van Zyl had a four-shot lead over McIlroy when play resumed on Saturday, and for a while, it seemed as though it was a margin the South African would preserve.

World No. 3 McIlroy couldn’t find much consistency in the early parts of his round, with three birdies and two bogeys—his first of the week—through the first 12 holes. But some stunning bits of play from the four-time major winner over the next two holes enriched his chances of taking this title.

McIlroy went eagle-birdie on 13 and 14 to pick up three shots quickly. Here’s a look at his remarkable second shot into the par-five 13th, per the European Tour Twitter feed, which helped McIlroy to his third successive round of 67:

Although he has notched the same score in each of his three outings at this tournament, the Northern Irishman suggested this was the standout showing of the week for him, per the European Tour website:

"

All my 67s were a little different. Today I got off to a slow start and couldn't get any energy going. So to finish the way I did was very pleasing, so maybe this one was the best one.

The eagle at 13 was the spark. To be able to make three there with where the pin is was a big bonus. It was nice to make a four at the last as well. I'm not sure what the lead will be, but I'm in a good position. 

I feel like I've played within myself for those 67s, so I feel like there's a better round out there for me.

"

Jan Kruger/Getty Images

McIlroy is in good company in the upper reaches of the standings, though, with Van Zyl looking particularly peerless.

The South African held the lead after two days, thanks to a magnificent 61 on Thursday, and he came under heavy pressure on Day 3. Still, he’s yet to be budged at the summit of the leaderboard, as Van Zyl posted a solid round of two-under to ensure he’ll be going out last on Sunday.

Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

Dubuisson continued to impress after his sparkling 64 on Friday, shooting a fine 67 to move alongside the South African at the top. Three birdies in a row on the back nine were a particular highlight for the popular Frenchman, as was a scrambled four at the par-five 18th; he'll be alongside Van Zyl in the final group on Day 4.

Aphibarnrat will be one to watch on Sunday, too, given his propensity for putting together tremendous bursts of form. He was excellent on Day 3, notching seven birdies in an excellent round of 66. Unfortunately for Aphibarnrat, a bogey at 18 was the only blemish on his card, leaving him alongside Rory on 15-under par.

His shot into the 17th was especially delightful, as we can see here:

Byeong-hun An is also well-positioned on 13-under par, as four birdies over the final five holes helped the South Korean shoot an outstanding seven-under-par round of 65, which turned out to be the lowest score of the day.

Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

It’s set to be a tremendous climax in Antalya, Turkey. With McIlroy sure to feature heavily and a host of other stellar names showcasing fine form throughout the first three days, Sunday’s showdown has all the makings of a classic finish.

Naturally, McIlroy, with four major titles under his belt, will be the big favourite to hold his nerve and take the title. But this course is one that yields a lot of scoring opportunities, and if a player further down the leaderboard can be clinical in his play, then there’s every chance of a surprise winner emerging.