Rory McIlroy’s hopes left in tatters after finishing with a 73 to trail the leader Richard Bland by six shots following a round so erratic it was enough to make anyone feel old
- Rory McIlroy delivered a round so erratic it was enough to make anyone feel old
- The 32-year-old finished with a 73 to trail the leader Richard Bland by six shots
- Justin Rose was placed 151st after completing debilitating rounds of 78 and 77
Rory McIlroy spoke in the build-up of trying to play like he did at the US Open when he won it aged 22. Instead, on day two, he delivered a round so erratic it was enough to make anyone feel old.
This is the major that’s all about notching pars, and the Northern Irishman, would you believe, mustered just six of them.
It says much about his overlooked fighting qualities that he battled away to grab two late birdies and remain on the fringes of contention. He finished with a 73 to trail by six shots.
Rory McIlroy (above) delivered a round so erratic it was enough to make anyone feel old
The 32-year-old finished with a 73 to trail the leader Richard Bland (above) by six shots
Eleven hours after finishing his first round in the dark on Thursday night, McIlroy (below) was back at the course and feeling buoyant after holing a birdie putt at the 18th.
He even mustered a couple of early birdies on Friday to move to two under. Just as you waited for him to press the pedal to the metal, he got stuck in reverse.
‘Oh my God, Rory!’ he screamed on a couple of occasions as he ran up three bogeys in a row. From tied sixth at one point, he fell to tied 32nd over that dispiriting stretch, and is still in search of some consistency with his driving. Justin Rose was 151st out of 156 after rounds of 78 and 77.
Rose was placed 151st out of 156 competitors after completing debilitating rounds of 78 and 77