Amid spine-tingling scenes, which began on Royal Portrush’s 1st tee and concluded with a standing ovation as Rory McIlroy waved goodbye in failing light, a global superstar reconnected with his own people. McIlroy fought hard, and just about succeeded, to control his emotions.
McIlroy fell short – only just – in his attempt to reach the weekend of the 148th Open Championship but the swell of support afforded to him felt like a victory in itself. Had McIlroy been in pursuit of the Claret Jug here Sundayevening, the spectacle would have broken sporting boundaries.
Bare statistics will show McIlroy’s two-over-par aggregate was one short of cut salvation. Commentators may point towards a birdie putt at the 17th which slid agonisingly past or an iron into the closing hole which bounded left of the green as crucial. In reality a string of events during an utterly freakish McIlroy Thursday curtailed his Open involvement.
Those grasping for deep, psychological or technical reasoning for McIlroy’s 79 to begin this major are trying too hard. Such an outcome has not been a common trend for the 30-year-old, especially this year. Extraordinary days happen; especially on links venues. When McIlroy pointed towards a “blip” or “anomaly” there was logic in his argument. His second round of 65 that thrilled the Portrush galleries was a joy to watch. This is the Rory Northern Ireland turned out to see.
“The last week has been an eye-opener for me,” McIlroy said. “Sometimes you’re so far away and you forget about all the people that are cheering you on back home. Then you come and play in front of them. It definitely hit me like a ton of bricks today.
“I didn’t know how people were going to react after yesterday, how many people were going to be on the 1st tee. Is it just a lost cause. But to have that many people out there following me, supporting me, cheer-ing my name, it meant the world to me.”
Tiger Woods had earlier, much earlier, confirmed his own Portrush departure – comfortably so at six over. This marks the first time Woods and his old adversary Phil Mickelson have missed the cut in the same major – at the 83rd attempt. Adam Scott and Ian Poulter joined the high-profile exodus from the Antrim coast. Through that, of course, comes opportunity for others.
At the business end of proceedings on what is a tantalisingly tight leaderboard, JB Holmes and Shane Lowry enter day three with a share of the lead at eight under. Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood trail that pair by a shot. Cameron Smith, Justin Harding and Justin Rose are tied at minus six.
The placing of Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth among those at five under adds further gloss to the scene. Dylan Frittelli, once a college team-mate of Spieth, was tied at the top before a double bogey, bogey finish. Andrew Putnam completes the five under contingent.
In what is not typically a tribal environment the scale of crowd support for Lowry’s major bid has been striking. The man from Offaly has recognised that all right. “It was incredible right from the 1st hole,” said Lowry after his second successive 67. “The crowd didn’t seem that big around the 3rd green but the roar when I holed my putt was unbelievable.
“You can’t but smile, you can’t but laugh. There’s no point trying to shy away from it. It’s an incredible feeling getting applauded on every green, every tee box.”
Lowry had reached 10 under before dropped shots at the 14th and 18th. He was honest enough to admit he “duffed” an approach shot to the latter. On the penultimate hole he bravely saved par after being distracted by commentary noise from a nearby big screen when on his tee shot backswing.
Fleetwood added a 67 to Thursday’s 68 in reminding onlookers that major glory is in his sights. Fleetwood has flown under the radar for much of 2019, by his own admission because of some inconsistent form. Now back in the spotlight, Fleetwood will not mask his ambitions.
“It’s your chance of putting your name in the history of the game,” said Fleetwood. “All of us dream of having majors in our career and taking those opportunities.
“I think the other side of that is, you don’t know how many times you’re going to actually get the chance to compete at the back end of a draw on Saturday or Sunday in a major and it’s important to embrace it and enjoy it whatever happens. You don’t know what’s going to happen next week or the week after. You have to realise what a lucky position you’re in and how well you’ve done to get there.
“I’m not going to tee off tomorrow and say: ‘I’m going to love this whatever happens.’ I want to make it happen. I want to win a major.”
Westwood’s 68-67 start is identical to that of Fleetwood. At three under par after a level-par 71 Henrik Stenson is still very much part of this Open equation. So, too, is Dustin Johnson at the same score.
It was impossible not to feel sympathy for Darren Clarke. The 2011 champion, so instrumental to the Open’s return to this venue after a 68-year absence, was firmly in position to make the cut when taking to the 18th tee at level par. Disaster beckoned; Clarke ran up a triple bogey. It did not look a good idea to get in his way thereafter. Cruel characters, the golfing gods; McIlroy will vouch for that.