Rory McIlroy in dreamland as he lights up St Andrews at the 150th Open

Two of the most electrifying moments in the 15 rounds of major championship golf played so far this year have been Rory McIlroy holing out from a bunker.

First there was that wonderful moment as the Masters drew to a close, now it’s a splash-in eagle during the third round of The Open.

Facing a tricky up and down from the trap at the short 10th hole, McIlroy opened his clubface and slid that delicious swing of his through the sand. Three bounces later and the ball was in the cup.

“Anything inside 10 feet was going to be a really good shot,” he said afterwards. “It was skill to get it somewhere close, but it was lucky that it went into the hole.

“You need a little bit of luck now and again in these tournaments.”

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, waiting to play his tee shot on 11, could only smile in disbelief. Viktor Hovland, who seconds before was a shot clear of his playing partner, offered his Ryder Cup team-mate his hand.

“What a wild two,” Hovland noted later. “When things like that happen, you just have to give each other a fist bump and say good shot.”

The last time the Northern Irishman made an eagle in the third round at The Open? You’re already one step ahead of me. That week in 2014, a 1-under 71 on Sunday was enough to add the Claret Jug to McIlroy’s already over-spilling trophy cabinet. It’s still impossible to comprehend that was his last major victory.

You sense he’ll need to go lower to lift that famous old pot again, with Sunday’s forecast set for more of the same benign conditions.

But there’s something in the largely wind-free air at the Old Course. When that pitch from the sand hit the bottom of the cup, St Andrews erupted. Hell, even the media centre – bar one small corner of Norwegian journalists here to report on Hovland – erupted.

McIlroy’s round took a while to get going – his first four birdie putts barely threatened the hole – and you feared it was just going to be another one of those days. But then he exploded into life with back-to-back gains at five and six before another at the short ninth saw him out in 33 and tied at the top.

Then, that magical moment that sent him clear before his only blip of the day and a fourth bogey of the week as the Road Hole claimed another victim. McIlroy overshot his second from the rough and left himself in an awkward position on the strip of grass that separates the tarmac from the wall. His chip barely made it to the green and two putts saw him fall back into a tie.

The headline group shared birdies down the finishing hole to card a pair of 66s and will tee off tied at 16-under and four clear of Camerons Smith and Young. Moving day was very much McIlroy’s day and Hovland’s hour.

“I’m trying to appreciate the fact I have an unbelievable chance to win the Open at St Andrews,” McIlroy added. “It’s what dreams are made of. And I’m going to try to make a dream come true tomorrow.”

Hovland is also feeling sentimental about winning a major at the Home of Golf. “I don’t think there’s any other place that would top it,” he said. “Growing up in Norway I always watched The Open Championship. To win a major that’s closest to home, that would be really cool.”

Dare we dream of another Duel in the Sun between two players who, in McIlroy’s words, have become “really close” in recent months?

What a championship it’s been so far – entirely fitting of the occasion – and there is still a quarter of it left to go.

Strap in.

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