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Cauley was among the few to make a significant upwards move, carding the joint best score of that day with a six-under 66 to reach 11 under.

McIlroy struggled in the testing conditions as he opened with rounds of 71, 77 and 71, carding a final 73 to finish well adrift at four over.

The two-time major champion is one shot behind the leader after carding a three-under 69 to improve to six under.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler didn’t scorch La Quinta as thoroughly as some of his competitors, carding a 67 with three of his five birdies clustered around the turn.

Determined to beat the finals scoring mark she set last fall, the talented junior played every shot with surgical precision on her way to carding a bogey-free five-under-par 68 to repeat as individual champion.