McIlroy again showed little spark in adding a three-over par 74 to his opening 72 on day two at TPC Boston.
It now means the World No. 4 has just two events left this year, his defence also of the season-ending Tour Championship and next month’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, to keep alive an unbroken urn of having won at least one event a year since 2008 and his first full season in the play-for-pay ranks.
And it is just the third time in 22 worldwide victories McIlroy will have sat out the closing two rounds when teeing-up in the following year’s title defence and the 2012 U.S. Open.
McIlroy’s Boston second round, and close the home stadium of defending Super Bowl champions the New England Patriots, was a sour mix of three birdies, four bogeys and a hurtful double bogey at his 14th hole where his 309-yard drive landed left in a native area and from where he two shots to get out.
And to his enormous credit, and in a continuing reflection of his character, McIlroy happily spoke after his round with three ‘written’ journalists who approached the 28-year old for just a comment but ended-up chatting for a good few minutes.
“I got off to a decent start with birdies at my third and fifth holes but then three-putted from nowhere on my sixth and I’ve had a couple of simple mistakes like that the last couple of days that have been costly,” he said.
“I then made a bogey with a wedge in my hand at my 10th and it is just sloppy mistakes like that I find is hurting my game.
“Usually I am able to get things up-and-down and I guess I am just waiting for the season to end and that’s reflective in the way I am playing and the way I am thinking at the moment.
“I am not sure if I have done enough to play the last two rounds as I thought I needed to birdie the last to be here for two more days.
“I think looking at the scoring I need for seven guys not to play very well this afternoon.
“So, I will keep an eye on it and hopefully, hopefully (raising his voice somewhat) I will be here for the weekend.”
McIlroy is projected to drop seven spots to 50th on the FedEx Cup standings but assured of qualifying among the top-70 who will contest the September 14th BMW Championship.
The BMW is the third of the four FedEx Cup Play-Off events, with McIlroy to then defend the Tour Championship in Atlanta on September 21st.
And when asked if there was a part of McIlroy that hoped he had the last two rounds off, and in what can only be described as a very frustrating year, he remarked: “No, not really as if I get to play here in Boston for the next two days means I get to spend two extra days at home for Thanksgiving in Florida.
“So, that is the reason why I wanted to spend all four days here in Boston. If not, it is two days off and I will have to play better in Chicago and try and make it to Atlanta.
“It is all just frustrating at the moment but then I have been caught in two minds for the last couple of months between just trying to play well and I feel like I can but it is just not really happening.
“It could be like taking two steps forward but taking one back but I really just feel I am standing still”.