Rory McIlroy opens up on why he's not disappointed to be trailing Matteo Manassero in BMW PGA

If he wasn’t so desperate to make amends for stinging outcomes in both the US Open and Amgen Irish Open since landing his last victory in May, you get the feeling that Rory McIlroy wouldn’t mind losing out in the BMW PGA Championship as long as Matteo Manassero emerged as a Wentworth winner for a second time on Sunday.

Manassero, the one-time golden boy of European golf - he was the youngest-ever winner on the DP World Tour at 17 in 2010 then creating history again as the youngest winner of this event in 2013 - before seeing his career take a spectacular nosedive, takes a three-shot lead into the final round after carding a brilliant nine-under-par 63 on a day that proved challenging for the most part in heavy rain before play concluded in glorious sunshine at the iconic Surrey venue.

Two other former champions, McIlroy and Billy Horschel, are the Italian’s closest challengers in the $9 million Rolex Series event while the halfway leader, Matthew Baldwin, sits a further shot back, with McIlroy underlining his class as he talked about Manassero having clawed his way back up the mountain after losing his card and freely admitting that he’d lost his game completely at one point before regaining his place at the top table this season as a Challenge Tour graduate.

Matteo Manassero celebrates holing a birdie putt on the 18th green during day three of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

“It’s unbelievable,” said the world No 3 of how Manasseo has turned his career around, having returned to winning ways on the main tour in South Africa earlier this year and now being on course to be among the latest batch of ten DP World Tour players to secure coveted cards on the PGA Tour next season.

“I don’t think you’d find one player on tour that isn’t so happy for him,” added McIlroy with a smile. “To be like the young phenom and then lose your game and go play the Alps Tour, I guess it shows the character you need to do that. Yeah, it is amazing to see.”

Playing in the same group as both McIlroy and Horschel, Manassero underlined that he is indeed back to his best by carding an eagle and seven birdies, signing off with three on the spin to come home in 31, as he opened up a tidy cushion after the leaderboard had been tightly-packed for most of the day.

“I was really impressed with him in Scotland earlier this year (when they played together at The Renaissance Club) and then obviously the final round last week (in the Irish Open) again,” continued McIlroy. “It is really good to see and he’s such a nice and level-headed guy and it is good to see him back where he belongs.”

Rory McIlroy tees off on the 18th hole during day three of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Though he almost blushed when he was told what McIlroy had to say about him, Manassero was happy to hear it, but even more pleasing for the five-time DP World Tour winner is that he’s back playing in the same groups as the Northern Irishman.

“In recording last week, he said let’s play more Sundays together and every time I am out with him on the weekend is a good sign for me because obviously Rory’s level is something else. I am playing well, Today is more than well, much more,” he said of signing for the best score of the week.

McIlroy, who was pleased to salvage a par from ten feet at the last hole in his third-round 66, suffered a sore defeat in the US Open at Pinehurst in June before ending up as the bridesmaid once again in the Irish Open at Royal County Down after being in the driving seat on the back nine.

“I think it’s been a familiar story with my career,” he said. “I’ve had setbacks and I usually come back pretty well from them. Some are harder than others obviously, but I think in this game you have to be resilient and have to understand and recognise that you will lose a lot more than you will win. You have to be okay with that and accept that and I have definitely been on that acceptance side this year, but it’s good to be back in the mix.”

Does he feel he’s heading into the closing circuit on this occasion due a win? “I mean, I haven’t won since May and I have given myself plenty of chances,” he said. “Yeah, I’d say I am due (a win), but that doesn’t mean it is necessarily going to happen. I have always liked being in this position, a couple back, and trying to get off to a fast start and hopefully I can do that and put some pressure on early doors.”

Bob MacIntyre, who made two eagles but also lost a ball up a tree at the ninth, sits eight shots behind Manassero. “Yeah, it just about sums up the way I am playing,” he said of his day’s work. “Hitting 4 and 5-irons inside of where I am hitting wedges.”

The Oban man had already spoken on Friday about struggling with his wedge game at the moment and it’s reached the stage where it’s making him feel angry. “It is deep in my head right now and it is starting to annoy me severely,” he admitted. “I am doing well to walk off there with 14 clubs. It is actually laughable at times.

“When I stand there at 219 yards out at the 12th, I am eyeing up the pin whereas when I am standing there 112 yards out from the green, I am trying to hit the bloody green. It is difficult.”

On ten under, MacIntyre is still in the top ten, but his hopes of adding to wins already this season in both the RBC Canadian Open and the Genesis Scottish Open now look slim. “There’s always a chance, but it looks like they are spreading away a little bit. We are in a decent spot and just go and get as high a finish as we can now,” said the Scot.

“Look, if I start hitting short clubs close, I am dangerous because I can putt, but at the present time I am struggling to hit greens with short clubs, never mind hit them close, so it’s a bit difficult. I am just trying to manage that the best I can and tomorrow is a new day and we’ll see where we end up.”

Grant Forrest sits just outside the top 20 on eight under, one better than Ewen Ferguson, while Richie Ramsay and Connor Syme are both on four under.