Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland drives from the first tee during the third round of the US Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda Saturday. (AP) BETHESDA, Maryland: Rory McIlroy made a confident start to the 111th US Open third round Saturday as he defended the equal best ever halfway lead in the tournament's history. The 22-year-old Ulsterman, playing with South Korea's Yang Yong-Eun, parred the first three holes comfortably enough. The 39-year-old Yang, meanwhile, dropped a shot at the par-three second when he failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker. That meant that McIlroy, seeking his first win in a major, had extended his lead over the Korean to seven. The 22-year-old Ulsterman has blown the field apart in the first two days with rounds of 65 and 66 giving him the lowest first 36 holes in US Open history. He stood at 11-under, five clear of second-placed Yang with Americans Robert Garrigus, Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar as well as Spain's Sergio Garcia a further three strokes adrift. Moving up the field on another hot, humid day outside Washington, was Swede Henrik Stenson who got to five under through 12 holes with five birdies in six holes from the sixth hole. US amateur Russell Henley was at four under at the turn, although he bogeyed the 10th and Australia's Jason Day advanced to three under through 12 holes. World No. 1 Luke Donald, though, had another frustrating day and the Englishman walked off with a three-over 74 for seven-over for the tournament, 18 strokes off the lead. Germany's Martin Kaymer lost more ground slipping from two over to four over, while Lee Westwood nudged under par with a front nine of three under 33, with Phil Mickelson doing likewise. McIlroy, seemingly pre-destined for golfing glory since he first burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old amateur at the 2007 Carnoustie British Open, said he intends to stay the course by continuing to be “aggressive”. “It's pretty special but I've got two more days left to go,” he said of his leading position. “I need to play really solid to get myself in position for tomorrow. It's a real challenge, the US Open is supposed to be the most difficult test we face all year. It hasn't seemed that for me yet.” His play so far has delighted the big crowds at this course west of Washington, frequented by US presidents and lawmakers, and left many of his rivals open-mounthed in admiration, evoking memories of the young Tiger Woods. But one big question marks hangs over the young buck - will he collapse again as he did in the second round of the last year's British Open at St. Andrews and at the final round of this years Masters at Augusta National. On both occasions, he led the tournament only for his game to disintegrate with resulting 80s. At his shoulder ready to pounce was Yang, a tough and uncompromising 39-year-old who knows something about making comebacks. Two years ago, he made golfing history by coming from two strokes behind in the final round to defeat Tiger Woods for the PGA Championship title at Hazeltine in Minnesota.
