US Open 2014: Poor start ends Rory McIlroy's hopes

Rory McIlroy has admitted a poor start to Saturday's third round ended his hopes of clinching a second US Open.

The two-times major winner carded a four-over-par 74 and goes into the final day 11 shots behind clear leader Martin Kaymer of Germany.

"Shooting five over for the front nine put me out of the tournament," said the 25-year-old from Northern Ireland.

Graeme McDowell, another former winner, had a 75 to be on seven over for the tournament, 15 behind Kaymer.

McIlroy is three over and said if he could get back to somewhere near level par on Sunday it could get him a top 10 finish.

"That is my target now. If I had kept it together and shot around par I might have had a bit of a chance," he said after Saturday's round.

"I got off to a pretty rough start. I played OK but just left myself in some difficult spots and could not get up and down.

"I played well in the back nine, pretty solid, and recovered it a little bit.

"But it was not what I was looking for a the start of the day."

Leader Kaymer shot a two-over 72 and holds a five-shot advantage over Americans Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton who are joint second.