Valero Texas Open: Rory McIlroy falls to 10 shots off lead as Akshay Bhatia remains on top ahead of final round

Rory McIlroy fell to 10 shots off the lead at the Valero Texas Open after a third-round 72, with leader Akshay Bhatia maintaining his place at the top by four shots.

Bhatia shot 68 on Saturday to remain atop the leaderboard with a four-shot lead in his bid for a wire-to-wire win in San Antonio.

Bhatia sits at 15-under par for the tournament, four shots ahead of Denny McCarthy, who shot 67. Bhatia had a five-stroke lead after 36 holes, but his four-stroke lead after 54 holes matches the biggest so far this season on tour. It is also the biggest at the Valero Open since Jimmy Walker in 2015.

Bhatia is gunning to become the first wire-to-wire winner since Lee Hodges at the 2023 3M Open. He would be the first wire-to-wire at the Valero Open since Bob Estes in 1994.

He carded six birdies against two bogeys for his round, looking calm but admitting he was not.

“I was never calm today and it was the hardest thing to deal with. It’s just so hard, you feel so tense and all these things in your stomach, your mind can kind of go one way,” Bhatia said. “I kept to my game plan. I tried to talk as much as I could to my caddie.”

Brendon Todd (70 on Saturday) sits solo in third at eight under. Hideki Matsuyama made a giant leap up the leaderboard with a six-under 66, but he is eight shots off the pace in a tie for fourth.

McCarthy nearly posted a clean round, carding six birdies against one bogey. He is still seeking his first win on the PGA Tour.

Bhatia, 22, is on the verge of qualifying for his first major. The Texas Open champion will receive the final berth into next week’s Masters, if not already qualified.

“I was talking to my psychologist last night and even this morning, just all the stories that what could happen, what if I lose the lead, what if this lead goes to 10. So many things are in your mind,” Bhatia said.

Watch the fourth round of the Valero Texas Open, live on Sky Sports Golf from 6pm, Sunday. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and more with NOW

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