Rory McIlroy clarifies PGA Championship setup comments after moving day 66

Rory McIlroy insisted he wasn't trying criticise the PGA Championship venue after he charged up the leaderboard on moving day. 

The Masters champion, 37, battled hard to make the cut on Friday and appeared slightly agitated with how tournament officials had set up Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania. 

World number one Scottie Scheffler claimed the pin locations were some of the toughest he had ever seen since making his PGA Tour debut, adding that in some cases they were "kind of absurd". 

McIlroy was inclined to agree, telling reporters that the bunched up leaderboard was a sign of "not a great set-up" as no player had separated themselves from the chasing pack. 

But after producing a third-round four-under 66 on Saturday, the Northern Irishman insisted on Sky Sports that he wasn't trying to be critical. 

"What I was trying to say when you have these big old golf courses that are renovated and their wide fairways and wide greens and you tuck the pins away, everyone plays the exact same way and that's why you see such a bunched leaderboard," he said. 

McIlroy said it made for entertaining viewing but is extremely frustrating for competitors in the field. 

"You heard it in me last night," he said. "You heard it in Scottie. I saw some of his comments. Shane [Lowry was also upset]. 

"I think there was a lot of guys that were frustrated yesterday coming off the course.

"Again, it's frustrating to us, but at the same time, it creates a helluva entering championship. 

"If I wasn't playing this tournament, I'd love what's going on this week, but watching and playing are two different things."

McIlroy began the day in tied 30th but his tidy 66 saw him close the gap on the leaders to just one shot before the afternoon wave went out. 

With former LIV Golf recruit Brooks Koepka as his playing partner, McIlroy carded a string of birdies on the front nine. 

Koepka sits nicely positioned on one-under after 54 holes but will need something extremely special if he is to win his first major title since the 2023 PGA at Oak Hill.  

A cracking approach for McIlroy at the first yielded a first birdie of the day and, despite three-putting the fourth green he bounced back with one of the drives of the tournament. 

McIlroy unleashed mammoth 390-yard tee shot down the fifth and found the green with the group in front, that included Jordan Spieth, still putting out. 

A fourth birdie at the ninth saw him turn in 32.

On the back, McIlroy converted another birdie putt at the 11th and got up and down at the drivable par-four 13th for another stress-free birdie. 

He briefly tied for the lead but dropped back after giving away a shot at the 17th.

McIlroy was forced to work hard for another par the 18th after finding the thick rough with his tee shot. 

He will hope that the lead doesn't stretch beyond seven-under before beginning his assault to attempt to win his seventh major title. 

McIlroy said he plans to watch a little bit of the coverage this afternoon but is eyeing up finishing a movie. 

"I started 'Batman: The Dark Knight' last night, so I'll try and finish that," he said.

"That's one of my go-tos to try to forget about things."

Of his chances going into Sunday, he added: "We'll see what the leaders do this afternoon. 

"The wind is up so hopefully I'm not too far away going into tomorrow. 

"I think I learn and adapt and manage my game pretty well on the fly.

"There were a few things I didn't like in my game on Thursday but I worked on those on the range, went out yesterday and felt better and continued on with that today."