Rory McIlroy BMW Championship: T2 After 65

Rory McIlroy BMW Championship Round 3 is a 5-under 65 that put him in a share of second at Bellerive Country Club. The PGA Tour official board lists him T2 at 12 under (64-69-65, 198 strokes), six spots better than Friday. Patrick Cantlay is also T2 at 12 under after 66. Wyndham Clark leads at 17 under after 65.

McIlroy was T8 at 7 under after a Friday 69. Saturday he climbed. That is a different story than the Friday recap of his 69, when he left the lead and talked about going to the range. The live board after 54 holes has him five back of Clark, not five back of the clubhouse lead from 36 holes.

Rory McIlroy BMW Championship: 65, T2, 12 under

Round 3 is official. McIlroy's 65 was 5 under on a par-70. Combined with Thursday's 64 and Friday's 69, he is 12 under, 198 strokes, tied with Cantlay. Clark is at 193 after 64-64-65. PGA Tour's movement column has McIlroy up six spots. FedEx Cup projection: 11th, from a starting 13th. He was never in danger of missing East Lake. He is in danger of watching Clark run away.

Golf Channel had him grinding pars on Friday after a bogey at the par-5 eighth. Sky Sports quoted him on the range plan. Saturday the card is 65. That is the new number. Chris Gotterup and Gary Woodland sit T4 at 11 under. Collin Morikawa is sixth at 10 under after 67. Scottie Scheffler is T15 at 5 under after 68.

McIlroy shared the 18-hole lead Thursday. He left it Friday. He took a piece of second Saturday. Bellerive is still scoring. A 65 did not catch Clark. It did catch the rest of the field that teed off in front of him.

Five back of Clark, and what Sunday still is

Wyndham Clark's BMW Championship lead is five shots after 54 holes. That is larger than the one-shot edge he held after 36. McIlroy is the highest-ranked name in the chase group. Cantlay is next to him at 12 under. Woodland, who needed this week for East Lake, is T4 at 11 under after even-par 70.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs middle event has no 36-hole cut. Sunday is 18 holes at Bellerive for the 50-man field. McIlroy's board is simple: 12 under, T2, 65 today, five back. He is not leading. He is not buried. The Friday 69 is in the book. The Saturday 65 is the one that moved him.

Rory McIlroy BMW Championship FAQ

Where is Rory McIlroy on the BMW Championship leaderboard? Tied for second at 12 under after a third-round 65 (64-69-65, 198 strokes), per the PGA Tour official Round 3 board. Wyndham Clark leads at 17 under.

How many shots back is Rory McIlroy after Round 3? Five. Clark is 17 under. McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay are both 12 under.

Did Rory McIlroy climb Saturday? Yes. He was T8 at 7 under after Friday's 69. PGA Tour's board shows him up six spots to T2 after 65.