“It would mean a ton to me” – Rory McIlroy set to go all in for his maiden Memorial Tournament

Rory McIlroy secured the lead at the 2023 Memorial Tournament after the third round alongside Kim Si-woo and David Lipsky. His round of two under on Saturday saw him climb six places on the leaderboard.

The Northern Irishman spoke about what it would mean to win the title at the Muirfield Village Golf Club and receive the trophy from golf legend Jack Nicklaus. He said via Golf Monthly:

“It would mean a ton to me to win this tournament. I’ve played pretty well here over the years without really having a realistic chance to win. So to be able to walk up that hill from 18 and get that handshake from Jack would be pretty nice. I won Arnold (Palmer)’s tournament a few years ago, but he had already passed by the time. So it would be so nice to be able to do it and have Jack be there.”

Speaking about his performance and what he needs to do on Sunday, McIlroy added:

“This course is still very playable from the fairways. I’ve done a good job this week of keeping the ball in play, hitting a lot of 3-woods, a lot of irons off the tee. What I need to do tomorrow is just stick to that game plan, not get ahead of myself, not get too aggressive. If I stick to the game plan I’ve played with the last three days, I’ll (have) a great chance.”

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Can Rory McIlroy win the 2023 Memorial Tournament?

Rory McIlroy has a fair chance to win the 2023 Memorial Tournament. However, it won't be easy for the former World No. 1 as there are 22 players within three shots of the lead. Viktor Hovland, Denny McCarthy, Wyndham Clark, Lee Hodges, and Mark Hubbard are all one stroke behind the leaders.

Keegan Bradley surprised everyone with his 10 birdies in the third round and jumped 54 positions to secure the ninth spot on the leaderboard.

McIlroy will have to play a fantastic round fantastic golf to secure the title. He will be paired with Kim Si-woo in the final round. The Northern Irishman commented on his chances:

“It’s a big tournament, and I’ve got quite a bit of experience in that. You would like to think that gives you a little bit of an advantage. (But) regardless of where you are in the tournament, this golf course makes you a little uncomfortable anyway, so everyone’s going to be feeling like that.”

The world's top two golfers — Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm — have been struggling with their game. Rahm had to settle for the 23rd spot with a score of under two while Scheffler is five strokes behind the leaders.

The final round of the 2023 Memorial Tournament will take place on Sunday, June 4.