That led to a double-bogey six for the world number one, but he responded superbly with birdies at the next four holes before a string of pars took him to the turn in 34.

At 14 under par, McIlroy was two behind England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who had carded a 62 on the Old Course on Saturday and carried on from where he left off with birdies at the third, fifth, sixth and eighth.

Fleetwood was one shot ahead of Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, who had gone to the turn in 33 and also birdied the 10th, with McIlroy joined on 14 under by overnight leader Oliver Wilson.

Wilson three-putted the fourth for a bogey and then did the same on the par-five fifth for a par as he looked to claim his first European Tour title after nine runners-up finishes.

Ramsay made it three birdies in a row on the 11th to catch Fleetwood and it soon became a three-way tie on 16 under as Wilson recorded his first birdies of the day on the 10th and 11th.

McIlroy was just a shot behind, however, after his own birdie at the 10th and an excellent par save on the 11th after misjudging his tee shot to the par three.

Another birdie from McIlroy on the 12th briefly made it a four-way tie at the top, only for Ramsay to take advantage of the par-five 14th to record his seventh birdie of the day and move into the outright lead on 17 under.