Irish Open: Robert Rock leads with one in Lahinch after a sensational 60

Rock finished with six birdies to score 11 in total in his roundDubai Duty Free Irish Open third-leader leaderboard-13 R Rock (Eng); -12 R Cabrera Bello (Spa), E Pepperell (Eng); -11 Z Lombard (SA); -10 B Wiesburger (Aut), A Sullivan (Eng) Other selected: -9 C Sharvin (NI); -8 J Rahm (Spa), G Forrest (Scot), O Wilson (Eng), P Waring (Eng); -7 R Dawson (Ire); -6 L Westwood (Eng), M Kaymer (Ger); -5 R Knox (Scot); -4 T Fleetwood (Eng); -2 I Poulter (Eng), S Lowry (Ire); -1 P Harrington (Ire), S Power (Ire), M Wallace (Eng) Full scoreboard (external site)

Robert Rock from England hit a 10-under-par 60 and stormed the lead at the Irish Open in Lahinch

The 42-year-old ended with six straight birdies to increase his total to 11 when he moved to 13 under par.

Rock & # 39; s round gives him one lead over fellow countryman Eddie Pepperell and Rafa Cabrera Bello from Spain, who reached the opening of Padraig Harrington 63.

Rock, hit in an Irish Open play-off by Shane Lowry in 2009, came close to a 59 because his eagle at 18 had just been missed. ]

The only 59 of the European Tour was chained by Rock & # 39; s countryman Oliver Fisher on last year's Portugal Masters.

Overnight leader Zander Lombard fought back from a four-putt double bogey on the fourth to play a 68, which set him two off the pace with the English Andy Sullivan and the Austrian Bernard Wiesberger a new blow back.

The Challenge Tour player from Northern Ireland, Cormac Sharvin, maintained his challenge – and kept his hope alive on one of the three available Open Championship qualifying rounds – while his 66 left him four on Rock.

The Lahinch left more receptive, the course played easier than the opening two days with 2017 winner Jon Rahm moving in five of the lead after a 64 that was matched by Irishman Robin Dawson, who improved to seven under .

Rock's last win in 2012

Rock has not won on the European Tour since the Abu Dhabi Championship in 2012 and continued its 147 event in the Race to Dubai rankings and 333rd in the world ranking.

The Staffordshire man, who was also looking for a clearing at Royal Portrush, revealed that he only realized that a 59 was underway when he approached his ball on the 18th fairway for his second shot to play.

"I didn't really add it up," Rock told Sky Sports.

"It is disappointing not to do it, but 60 is a good score, I played nonsense this year."

Winner Jon Rahm 2017 is five out of pace after his 64th on Saturday

After birdies in first and third place, Rock celebrated fourth before picking up further shots to go to the turn in 31.

There was a small suggestion that Harrington & # 39; s existing course record of Thursday was threatened when Rock followed a birdie on the 10th with two pars but the double European Tour winner then produced his amazing finish, including a 25-hole hole yard in the 17th.

"That finish was a bit much," admitted Rock, who in recent years has also become a famous swing coach with the English star Matt Wallace, among those he accompanies.

In addition to the chance of a first European Tour victory in seven years, Rock & # 39; s round on Saturday leaves him well placed to reach one of three Open Championship qualifying places.