Am, and heading into the final round on the Monterey Peninsula, it is perhaps the biggest in the field who is just out sharing the lead. Rory McIlroy was simply brilliant Saturday in the cold and blustery conditions as he navigated Pebble Beach Golf Links in bogey-free fashion en route to a 7-under 65 to sit one stroke behind 54-hole leader Sepp Straka at 16 under.

Leave it to Rory McIlroy to make the second day of February feel as though the second week of April were right around the corner. That’s bound to happen when a player of his immense talent — and deficiencies when it comes to the Masters — delivers a sublime performance on a special stage like Pebble Beach ,