ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Rory McIlroy doesn’t need any reminders. 

So, don’t bother reminding him that he hasn’t won a major championship in eight years. 

“I’m playing a golf tournament and I’ve got myself in a great position after three days,’’ McIlroy said Saturday after the third round of the 150th British Open at St. Andrews, in which he’s tied for the lead entering the final round. “I’ve finished off enough golf tournaments in my time to feel like I know what to do [Sunday].’’ 

McIlroy is tied with Norway’s Viktor Hovland for the 54-hole lead at 16-under, four shots clear of Cameron Smith and Cameron Young, who are both 12-under. McIlroy and Hovland, paired together, each shot 6-under 66 on Saturday. 

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (69 on Saturday) and Si Woo Kim (67) are 11-under and five shots back. Dustin Johnson (71) is 10-under and six back. 

McIlroy, the 33-year-old from Northern Ireland who has been stuck on four career major championships since 2014, is playing golf with blinders on. 

“Because it makes me play better,’’ he said. “Going all the way back to Augusta in 2011 [when he lost a four-shot lead in the final round], I got out of my process. I got out of what I did for three days and it was a tough lesson. It was a really tough pill to swallow. 

“And I went to Congressional [for the 2011 U.S. Open], and that’s all I focused on all week. I sort of called it my little cocoon, just trying to stay in my little cocoon for the whole week. And that’s what I’ve been trying to do this week as well.’’ 

It’s been difficult, because McIlroy has, by far, garnered the most vociferous adoration from the massive crowds packing the Old Course. 

“The support that I’ve gotten this week has been absolutely incredible,’’ McIlroy said. “I try to acknowledge as much as I can, but I’m just trying to stay in my process, stay in my own little bubble and I just have to do that for one more day.’’ 

McIlroy said he’s “appreciating the moment and appreciating the fact that it’s unbelievably cool to have a chance to win The Open at St. Andrews.’’ 

“It’s what dreams are made of,’’ McIlroy went on. “And I’m going to try to make a dream come true tomorrow.’’ 

If he does, if McIlroy is on the 18th hole about to win his second Claret Jug, he’ll have an eye on one of the windows of the Rusacks Hotel, which stands along the right side of the 18th green. McIlroy’s wife, Erica, and their baby girl, Poppy, have been watching from there every day this week. 

The 24-year-old Hovland is trying to realize a dream of his own. He’s trying to become the first player from Norway to win a men’s major championship. 

“I don’t think there’s any other place that would top it,’’ Hovland said. “Growing up in Norway and always watched the Open Championship for way longer than I ever did, for example, the Masters. Yeah, to win a major that’s closest to home, that would be really cool.’’ 

The scintillating Saturday duel with McIlroy was not lost on Hovland, who called it “pretty cool.’’ 

“[I’m] probably not going to forget that one too quickly,’’ Hovland said. “I played great, but it was also cool to trade some holes with Rory as well.’’ 

Asked if he ever had a thought on Saturday that this was where he has wanted to be his entire life, Hovland joked, “I was thinking: What the hell am I doing here?’’ 

“I mean, it’s pretty crazy from where I grew up and so far away from playing the PGA Tour, European Tour, for that matter major championships,’’ he said. “Just to be here is very special, but to have a chance to win one is … I have to pinch myself, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to hold back tomorrow.’’ 

Every winner of an Open at St. Andrews has been within four shots of the lead entering the final round. So, going by history, perhaps only McIlroy, Hovland, Young and Smith have a chance to hoist the Claret Jug by dinner time Sunday in Scotland. 

“People can go out and 30, 31, whatever it is,’’ McIlroy said. “I think for me it’s expect the unexpected.’’ 

Hovland, too, is under no illusions that Sunday will be a two-man race. 

“There’s a lot of things that can happen,’’ he said. “In these conditions and these pin placements, you can play fine and shoot around even-par, and then that brings in a lot of other guys as well. So, it just depends what the conditions are going to be like tomorrow, the pin locations, and just frankly how we play.’’