World No. 1 Rory McIlroy was tops in getting past the Royal County Down front gates and bound for his parents Belfast residence after missing the halfway cut for a third straight year in the Irish Open.
McIlroy gained some comfort in shooting a second day level par 71 but with the damage done a day earlier following a nine-over 80 on the windswept and rainstorm affected Royal County Down course.
It left the four-time Major winner sharing 103rd place and four shots outside of the cut-off mark of five over par in the Euro 2.5m event.
Six players – Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello (68), Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen (70), Scotland’s Richie Ramsay (67), Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (67), England’s Chris Wood (69) and South African Tyrrell Hatton (66) – share the lead at three under par.
Rory McIlroy fronts the media after missing the cut as expected in the Irish Open.
Cabrera-Bello produced the only bogey-free round over two days on the wind-swept and rain-lashed course while Hatton matched the Royal County Down course record set 76 years ago in the 1939 Irish Open by Ireland’s Jimmy Bruen.
Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington (73) is among a group at two under par and with the World No. 86 ranked Harrington boosting hopes of qualifying for the U.S. Open should he finish top-three.
Only nine players, and four less than the opening day, remain under par while there is 38 players within six shots of the lead.
Visiting American Rickie Fowler, despite two bogeys over his last three holes, shot a 71 to be a level par and well in contention for a second victory in as many tournaments after capturing last fortnight’s Players championship title.
McIlroy also has missed a second cut in succession on his return to the European Tour following his victory in the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship.
Rory McIlroy at the wheel of a V8 Range Rover and not wasting time heading to a waiting chopper.
“I was trying out there as hard as I could but just couldn’t quite get a good run of holes going and get any momentum,” he said to reporters.
“I was a couple under through 14 but I still needed a good finish.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t able to do that. So I really just left myself to much to do from yesterday and I felt like I played a solid round of golf today but it wasn’t good enough.”
If there was any positives it was the support McIlroy enjoyed since his arrival back to Royal County Down with sell-out crowds assured over the four days.
“The support out there is phenomenal,” he said.
“But this is the third year in a row they don’t get to see me play over the weekend. It’s disappointing to say the least. But more disappointing for them.”
McIlroy is expected to be back to the course on Sunday to present the trophy before preparing his next event, the June 18th commencing U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in Washington State.
He will also host a PGA Championship media outing on June 12th at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, and venue for McIlroy’s defence of the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy.
And McIloy had plenty of big-name company also missing the Royal County Down halfway cut including five of his victorious Gleneagles Ryder Cup team-mates.
They included playing partner Martin Kaymer (79 + 69 – 148), Stephen Gallacher (75 +73 – 148), Sergio Garcia (75 +79 – 154) and Victor Dubuisson (74 + 84 – 158)
