Rory McIlroy has bounced back from last week's Open Championship disappointment to lead the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational ©Getty Images

Rory McIlroy has bounced back from last week's Open Championship disappointment to lead the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational by one shot after today's third round at TPC Southwind in Memphis.

McIlroy, who missed the cut at his home Open in Northern Ireland by one shot, shot an eight-under par round of 62 and leads the field from United States' Brooks Koepka.

The four-time major winner shot up the field from joint 17th to first after a round that featured nine birdies, including three in a row to finish.

McIlroy said afterwards: "I guess the pressure's off a little bit.

Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut at the Open in Northern Ireland by one shot, shot an eight-under par round of 62 today ©Getty Images
Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut at the Open in Northern Ireland by one shot, shot an eight-under par round of 62 today ©Getty Images

"You've had a bad week and you go to the next week and you say, 'okay I didn't do this well, I didn't do this well', so you're sort of trying to focus on that rather than winning the tournament.

"So for me, this week I wanted to focus on neutralising my ball flight and trying to dial in my distances.

"All of a sudden those two little focus points have made me play some good golf again."

World number one Koepka moved to second with a round of 64, while overnight leader Matt Fitzpatrick of England is third after shooting 69, now two shots back from McIlroy.

The competition concludes tomorrow (July 28).