The second round of the 2013 Irish Open is turning into a ‘Black Friday’ for event organisers with five of the countries top players set to miss the Carton House halfway cut.
There’s billboards about the course featuring six of the top Irish but missing over the weekend will be five including the four Major Champions in Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIroy and Darren Clarke.
Also missing over the weekend will be 2014 European Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley.
McIlroy posted a secound 72 to miss the level par cut by two shots at two over par whereas Harrington and McDowell each signed for 74s for one over totals while Clarke, with a pair of 75s, crashed out on six over par.
Fans pouring out of the course and past a billboard featuring the top six Irish golfers and five of whom missed the cut. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
McGinley had returned to form on day one with a 70 but fired a day two 76 for a two over par tally.
The only Irish player who can really hold his head high is former 2009 Irish Open winner, Shane Lowry who remained in contention for a second Irish Open title in four years and enjoying a five-way share of third place on seven under par.
McIlroy revealed he took a yet another new Nike Covert driver into this week’s event but then will have further dealings with the company’s technical staff in coming days in an effort to finally straighten out his continuing errant ways off the tee.
“I am spending more time with Nike’s technical staff as this was a new driver I had in the bag this week but it still wasn’t 100% what I want,” he said.
“So I am testing with them again next week.
“I am still confident in my ability to hit the golf ball and hit good shots but then confidence comes from hitting good shots and seeing the ball go in the hole, and shooting good rounds and posting good results.
“I guess in that way the results are not great but from being on the golf course and seeing some good shots today I am definitely more positive now than this time yesterday.”
And unlike earlier this year when McIlroy added the Valero Texas Open in the week prior to the Masters, McIlroy will not be tempted to add either next week’s French Open or the following week’s Scottish Open to his schedule.
“No, I am not going to add a tournament as I am going to take the next two weeks off,” he said.
“I have a couple of commitments, including my cousin’s wedding next weekend, and then I’m planning to play a first practice round at Muirfield next Monday week, and the start of the week before The Open week,” he said.
“If I didn’t have these couple of things to then I would probably add a tournament but I just need to find a little consistency in my ball-striking.
“I hit quite a few good shots out there but there are a few bad ones in there and it’s those bad ones that are costing me, and I wasn’t sharp enough around the greens.
“I was confident when I played in San Antonio because I found something on the range on the Friday night and had a really good weekend that gave me a lot of confidence.”
