• US Open, Round Three

Relentless Rory marches on

Rory McIlroy looked completely assured no matter what shot he was faced with © Getty Images

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Moving day proved anything but for Rory McIlroy, as he tightened his grip on the US Open with a round of 68.

The Ulsterman was short of the sensational form he showed in the first two rounds, in truth it would have been virtually impossible to continue in that manner, but he kept things together to secure an eight-shot lead heading into Sunday.

Among the biggest 54-hole leads in US Open history are Tiger Woods (10), James Barnes (7), John Goodman (6), Willie Anderson (6) and Fred Herd (6) and the omens are good for McIlroy as all went on to claim victory.

The biggest comebacks in US Open history were Arnold Palmer's stunning effort in 1960 when he hauled in a certain Jack Nicklaus, while Palmer was hauled in by Billy Casper in 1966, so the chasing pack have their work cut out if they are to reel in the Ulsterman.

McIlroy's golf may not have been spectacular, but it was exactly what was required. Solid pars on one and two preceded his first test of nerve. He imploded at the Masters in April with the wrong shot choice, but this time his head was clear when finding the deep rough on the side of the third. He elected to chip out sideways and was rewarded with a par as a glorious pitch settled within two feet of the cup for a tap in.

A brilliant up and down from the sand on the side of four demonstrated the nerves were strong and one hole later he was celebrating a birdie when a 12-footer tracked into the cup. A textbook birdie on the par-five ninth took him to 13-under. Only one player has reached 13-under in US Opens and McIlroy has done it on two occasions, having reached that number on Friday before dumping the ball in the water.

A rare error on 10 when he found a bunker at the back of the green cost him a shot, but he returned to that magic 13-under score for a third time with a sensational birdie on 11 - the hardest hole on the course.

A further birdie on 14 took McIlroy to 14-under and seemingly sailing away into the sunset. A misclub on 17 threatened a bogey and his first three putt of the tournament, but he stood over a 10-footer and stroked it into the centre of the hole for par.

It was all the more impressive as he could have been dragged down by the form of his playing partner YE Yang. The Korean came into the round with many feeling he could chase down the Ulsterman, but he failed to find any sort of form after an early bogey on two. It took him until the 14th to find a birdie. He found another at 16 and came home with two pars to move to six-under.

Lee Westwood pumps his fist after making an eagle © Getty Images

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Lee Westwood may emerge as McIlroy's biggest rival over the final 18 holes, following the world No. 2's move up the field to five-under.

Westwood made a poor start to his tournament, as a four-over 75 left him 10 adrift of McIlroy on Thursday evening. There was slight momentum on Friday and it cranked up a gear on moving day. Having seen the horse he owns finish down the field at Royal Ascot, Westwood set about proving to the American galleries that he possesses the talent to challenge at the top of the game.

The long game has never been in question, but on and around the greens has been a concern for the Brit. But it all came together despite being set on his heels by an early bogey. Following the setback on four, Westwood showed his class with a string of birdies.

He stepped on to the par-five 16th at three-under and two big biffs offered him an eagle chance. The putting has often been a problem, but the 25-footer was never anywhere else but in the centre of the cup and brought a fist pump of delight. Pars on 17 and 18 helped him sign for a 65, which came courtesy 16 greens in regulation, 13 of 14 fairways hit and just 29 strokes of the putter.

Westwood took playing partner Fredrik Jacobson along with him and the Swede secured himself a late tee-off time with a 66, as did Australian Jason Day who ended the day at five-under after a 65.

Sergio Garcia had a topsy-turvy day, hitting spectators and missing putts, but the ball striking was generally pure and a two-under 69 took him to four-under - alongside Matt Kuchar.

Webb Simpson was one of the early starters to prove that it was possible to post a score at Congressional, as the American shot a 66 to move up to one-under. Simpson fired seven birdies and was able to scramble a par on 18 despite finding himself directly behind a tree for his second shot.

Graeme McDowell carded a two-under 69 to move to even-par despite being far from happy with his putting and the defending champion is alonside Steve Stricker who also signed for a 69.

World No. 1 Luke Donald's challenge fizzled out on the back nine on Friday and he failed to make any impression on Saturday. He looked jaded for much of the day and his round was summed up with a wayward approach to 18 that flew into the water. A double-bogey left him at seven-over for the championship.

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