WORLD NUMBER ONE Rory McIlroy will be right in contention when the final day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational tees off at Bay Hill tomorrow.

The Co. Down man posted his second 73 in succession, but it proved a fine number to card as difficult wind conditions kept scoring high among the front-runners.

McIlroy managed 15 pars over his round, bogeying the second and 18th after claiming a valuable birdie at 16. He was tied for fourth before Danny Lee double-bogeyed the 18th to slip from joint first to fifth.

The +1 round leaves McIlroy joint second after round three, his -4 score just two behind leader Tyrell Hatton, who drained a terrific birdie on 18, where everyone else seemed to struggle – not least his playing partner Sung Kang who slumped to a second triple bogey of the day as he slipped from joint leader to eighth over the closing holes.

Marc Leishman joins McIlroy on -4, the USA’s Max Homa enjoyed the best round of the day, his, -2, 70 coming thanks to a run of five birdies before he too double-bogeyed the 18th.

Meanwhile, Graeme McDowell sits 23rd after a round of 76, his trio of birdies on the back nine unable to right the wrongs of four bogeys and a double through his opening six holes.