McIlroy is chasing his second title as a professional
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy surged up the European Open leaderboard with a third-round 68 in strong winds at the London Golf Club in Kent.
McIlroy, 20, is six under par overall, three shots behind Frenchman Christian Cevaer (70) and India's Jeev Milkha Singh (71).
Alongside McIlroy on six under are England's Chris Wood (68) and Spain's Alvaro Quiros (69).
Scotland's Gary Orr (68) and England's Steve Webster (70) are five under.
England's Anthony Wall, who was one off the lead after rounds of 68 and 69, slumped to a 76 and six off the pace on a day of high-scoring.
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell (74) is one over, Ryder Cup skipper Colin Montgomerie of Scotland (74) is two over and England's Lee Westwood (74) is three over.

There were nine different leaders on day three, and like most players Singh struggled with his consistency in testing conditions, mixing six birdies with five bogeys, while Cevaer had three birdies and a bogey.
World number 449 Cevaer made one of only two birdies all day on the 471-yard last. The 69-strong field were a cumulative 76 over par there.
Meanwhile Singh, joint halfway leader with Cevaer's compatriot Michael Lorenzo-Vera, covered the last six in four under.
Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal had a sextuple-bogey nine on the short 17th, including two penalty drops and a left-handed air shot in the bushes left of the green. World number four Sergio Garcia was one of several stars to finish with a triple-bogey seven.
McIlroy, who had three birdies and an eagle, demonstrated the strength of the wind by reducing the 541-yard 5th to a drive and 118-yard sand wedge, while on the 16th his 153-yard seven-iron came up 30 yards short.
Wood, the 21-year-old from Bristol who as an amateur finished fifth in the Open last July, said: "I'm not thinking about winning yet. I've just got to keep doing the same that I've been doing mentally this week.
"It's taken me a while to get going this season. Coming through Tour school I didn't get into that many events and those I did I was practising in snow and ice at home and then going out to Indonesia or wherever."
Stephen Dodd of Wales mixed eight birdies with six bogeys 24 hours after driving all the way from Kent to Wales thinking he had missed the halfway cut.
And Westwood was between Cambridge and Peterborough when he was contacted and told he was back in the tournament.
"I increased my carbon footprint," said the Ryder Cup star after his disappointing round 74. "I got a call - but I wish I hadn't!"
All those who finished on one over par at lunchtime yesterday looked like missing out on the final two rounds, but a strong afternoon wind sent scores soaring.