McIlroy eagles 18th to sit two back at Wentworth

Rory McIlroy is two strokes off the lead going into the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after an eagle on the 18th rescued a level-par 72 on Saturday.

McIlroy sits on 11 under par. Manuel Elvira and Filippo Celli share the lead on 13 under par, after both men birdied the final hole of the third round to stay clear, according to BBC.

It was a grind that turned golden late. McIlroy needed all of his closing kick. He finished birdie-eagle over the last two holes, with the eagle on 18th, a hole played in two shots under par, briefly lifting the home crowd before the leaders answered.

Elvira and Celli refused to blink. Their closing birdies, each finishing a hole in one shot under par, kept them two clear and set up a two-man contest at the top. Behind them, the board is crowded.

Johannes Veerman, Alejandro Del Rey and JJ Spaun are one shot behind the leaders on 12 under. Twenty players are within four strokes of the lead. That is a packed Sunday. A three-shot lead over water can feel small at Wentworth. A two-shot lead with 20 players chasing feels smaller still.

The shape of the tournament has changed quickly. Ryan Gerard led by two shots at the halfway stage after a 7-under 65 on Friday, with McIlroy four shots back at that point, according to Sky Sports and PGA Tour. Saturday flipped the names at the top.

Jon Rahm will not be part of the final-day chase. He missed the cut, the score that decides who plays the weekend and who goes home.

For fans, this means a simple equation on Sunday. McIlroy must chase without forcing it. Elvira and Celli must defend a slim lead with a crowd pulling the other way. And with so many players bunched close behind, one hot stretch of three or four birdies from anywhere could change everything.