Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry in hunt for title defence ahead of final round

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are five shots back of the lead heading into the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin hold a three-stroke lead as they carded a better-ball 61 in the third round. Two closing birdies took them to 27-under-par ahead of the alternate shot final round, three clear of fellow Americans Jake Knapp and Frankie Capan III, plus the Japanese pair Ryo Hisatsune and Takumi Kanaya.

Overnight leaders Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo slipped to four strokes off the pace, alongside Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard, with defending champions McIlroy and Lowry among those a shot further back after a 61.

Lowry eagled the par-five seventh as they picked up six shots on the outward nine, the pair adding four more birdies on the back nine before a dropped shot on the 17th was followed by an eagle at the last from McIlroy after a 90-minute delay to make the 30-foot putt because of lightning.

“I was pretty happy to have Rory go out and eagle the last there,” said Lowry.

“It makes dinner taste nicer and kind of puts us in a great position going into tomorrow.”

McIlroy, playing his first tournament since winning the US Masters, said they filled the delay watching highlights of their victory last year and planning where to go for dinner.

“The last thing on my mind during the delay was the putt, and then once I got back out there, I sort of concentrated on it and made sure I did what I needed to do and just a bonus for it to go in,” said McIlroy.

Novak has finished in the top three in his last two events, losing in a play-off to Justin Thomas at the RBC Heritage last week.

He kept himself in pole position to go one better as he and Griffin birdied the first hour holes, adding five more, including on the last two holes, as they stretched their advantage.

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