EUROPEAN

• McIlroy goes four clear at European Masters

  
  

  Crans Montana, Switzerland (Sports Network) - Rory McIlroy fired a five-under 66 on Saturday to grab a four-shot lead through three rounds of the European Masters.

  McIlroy, 19, finished 54 holes at 13-under 200 at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club.

  Juan Abbate (69), Alejandro Canizares (69), Christian Cevaer (65), Julien Clement (67), Robert Dinwiddie (64) and Jean-Francois Lucquin (69) are knotted in second place at nine-under 204.

  McIlroy, a former amateur star, can make history if he can hold on Sunday. He would become the third-youngest winner on the European Tour.

  "I'm in control of my golf game," said McIlroy. "Hopefully, I can just do the same things tomorrow. As long as I do that tomorrow, I should have a good chance." McIlroy flew out of the gate on Saturday. He knocked his second to four feet at the par-five opening hole and converted the eagle putt. McIlroy drained a nine-footer for birdie at the third, but drove it out of bounds at the fourth en route to a bogey.

  McIlroy atoned for the error at four with a six-footer for birdie at the fifth.

  Two holes later, McIlroy holed a 10-foot birdie putt to reach 12-under for the championship.

  After a pair of pars at eight and nine, things went downhill a bit for McIlroy.

  At the 10th, he hit a strong approach to 15 feet, but ran his birdie putt three feet past the cup. McIlroy missed that putt for a bogey, then hit into a bunker at the 11th. He saved par from the sand, but three-putted for a bogey from inside 20 feet at No. 12.

  His lead dropped to a single stroke, but McIlroy responded. His tee ball at the par-three 13th spun back to three feet and McIlroy kicked in the birdie putt to get back to minus-11.

  At the par-five 15th, McIlroy reached the green in two.

  His eagle putt narrowly missed the hole, but he tapped in for another birdie to pad his lead to three shots.

  McIlroy hit a sensational approach to three feet to set up birdie at the 17th. At the last, McIlory's second stopped 15 feet from the hole. His putt hit the edge of the hole, but popped out.

  He tapped in for par and will take a four-shot lead into the final round in his quest for history.

  "I think it could've even been better," acknowledged McIlroy. "I let a couple of short putts go there at 10 and 12, but I came back really well and finished the round off nicely.

  "If I can go out and hit good golf shots and hit good putts, the rest will take care of itself.

  Hopefully I will have a good night's sleep and come out fresh tomorrow." European Ryder Cupper Miguel Angel Jimenez (68), Emanuele Canonica (68), Rafa Echenique (66), Gary Orr (67) and Julio Zapata (67) share eighth place at eight-under 205.

  Defendingchampion and overnight co-leader Brett Rumford struggled on Saturday.

  He shot a two-over 73 and fell into a tie for 16th place at minus- six.

  09/06 11:30:17 ET