“Golf’s such a fickle game. I could go and play better than that and shoot level par.”

The eight under performance beat by three the 19-year-old’s previous best on the European Tour – he switched to the paid ranks almost a year ago – but for him to take it in his stride was not entirely surprising.

In his amateur days boy wonder McIlroy shot an incredible 61 at Royal Portrush.

It was also three outside the lowest ever seen at Crans-sur-Sierre, perched 4,500 feet up in the Alps.

Back in 1971 Italian Baldovino Dassu became the first Tour player to return a 60 and in 1992 Jamie Spence equalled that to win the title from a record 10 behind on the last day.

After that, however, Seve Ballesteros controversially changed the greens and made the course much tougher. The official record for the new lay-out is the 62 of Eduardo Romero eight years ago.

McIlroy burst on to the circuit in sensational style last year. After being leading amateur at The Open and then earning a Walker Cup cap he finished third in his second pro event and then fourth just a week later.

That had many people wondering if he could become the youngest player in Ryder Cup history, but the story of his season so far has largely been one of disappointment and trying to be patient.

He is 89th on the Order of Merit and has not made a cut since failing to qualify for The Open.

“I’ve done a lot of work in the last few weeks – I’ve had a lot of time on my hands at weekends!” he added.

“I feel like I’ve been hitting it really well, but the results have not shown it.

“The pro-am was my first ever round here and I just love how far the ball goes. It’s a fun course.”

In the thin air he reduced the 598-yard 14th to a drive and eight-iron, while at the 506-yard fourth today his eight-iron flew 195 yards into the bunker over the green.

“As a kid I always played by feel – there were no yardage books at Holywood - and here whatever it looks like you just go for it.

“There are a lot of elevation changes as well and it’s whatever fits your eye.”

Four birdies in the last five holes of the back nine enabled McIlroy to turn in 31, he started the outward half with another and then had three more in a row from the fifth.

He is a stablemate as well as fellow countryman of Darren Clarke and almost inevitably was asked about Nick Faldo’s decision to choose Ian Poulter instead for the Ryder Cup.

“Obviously everybody is disappointed for Darren – the way he played in Holland he deserved it. But I can where Nick’s coming from.

“He picked the two strongest players (Paul Casey got the other wild card) ranking-wise. Everybody’s talking about who didn’t get picked, but look at who’s in – it’s such a strong team.”

The trio in second place all have a chance now to secure their cards for next season.

Houston, who earned a biggest-ever cheque on Tour of over £53,000 when he was fourth in the event three years ago, lies 132nd, Sullivan 159th and Zapata 180th. Only the leading 115 are exempt for 2009.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, the only member of Faldo’s side taking part, reached six under with three to play, but bogeyed them all and had to sign for a 68.

Houston almost pulled off an amazing “underground” hole-in-one.

After grabbing birdies at the first two holes his tee shot to the 192-yard third landed just short of the cup and the ground was so soft it almost went through the turf and in.

Instead it came out of the pitch mark and he only parred.

“Back in 2005 I was a rookie, so people didn’t expect me to hang onto the position,” he said. “Now there is my expectation.”

Compatriot Bradley Dredge has finished first and third the last two years and Sullivan said: “It must be the mountain air.”