Rory McIlroy, in danger of losing the European number one spot to Lee Westwood today, found his putting touch in the final round of the Portugal Masters. However, a double-bogey at the last handed the initiative back to Westwood.

Resuming in 53rd spot 14 strokes behind leader Retief Goosen, McIlroy went to the turn in 32 and when he added further birdies at the 12th and 13th, 14th and 17th he rocketed up to ninth on the leaderboard.

The 20-year-old was eight under for the day when he stood on the last tee — but then blasted a drive into the lake and took a six.

A 66 meant he finished on 12 under and he was destined to finish outside the top 30.

“I’m obviously a bit disappointed about the last — one bad drive,” he said. “It was not the greatest putting week in the world, but I’ve been putting well and I’m not going to let one bad week get in the way.”

He is staying in Portugal before travelling on to Spain for the Volvo World Match Play starting on Thursday week.

Westwood, without a win anywhere for more than two years, led with nine holes of his round to play.

In third place overnight, Westwood birdied the first four holes at Oceanico Vilamoura and went two ahead when Francesco Molinari drove into the lake for the second day running at the seventh.

The Italian came straight back with a 35-foot birdie putt and made a good save on the next to remain 20 under.

Retief Goosen, leader by one at the start, bogeyed the first and seventh and was in a tie for third with Padraig Harrington and German Marcel Siem, but they were three behind.