Rory McIlroy clearly had visions of something special racing to five-under par after just five holes only to stall in posting a 66 at Kingbarns Links on day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
The World No.2 heads into today’s (SAT) third round at St. Andrews trailing six shots adrift of 23-year old England rookie, Matthew Jordan.
Jordan completed his closing seven-holes in seven-under for a 64 on the Old Course at St. Andrews for a one-shot lead at 14-under par.
McIlroy ignited the fireworks right from the outside in grabbing a first hole birdie, stuck his 210-yard second shot to just tap-in distance for an eagle ‘3’ at the par-5 third hole and then grabbed birdies at four and five for a then share of eighth place in the Euro 4.5m event.
There was first sign of what lay ahead when he lipped-out at nine, and while he watched his father, Gerry birdie nine, 10 and 11, McIlroy’s only other birdie of the round was a super chip shot at the par-5 12th hole to just tap-in distance.
Clear example @McIlroyRory disappointment over his back-9 on day two & this at the short par-4 14th @KingsbarnsGL @dunhilllinks
The @OWGRltd No. 2 was 5-under par after five holes & played the 13 in just 1-under 😡 pic.twitter.com/TrUzIqRNOA
— Fatiha Betscher (@TOURMISS) September 27, 2019
McIlroy left a long birdie putt just beside the cup on 14, was in a greenside bunker of the spectacular all-water carry par-3 15th and he observed walking back to the spot where he missed a 6-foot birdie on 16 disbelieving the break in the putt.
The heavens then opened as McIlroy completed yet another round that could have easily been anything from a 59 to 63
Indeed, McIlroy one-putted his opening five holes and then added a further 23 putts in a still very respectable tally of just 28 putts.
“After such a great start of thinking of just trying to keep it going,” he said.
“I still had three of the four par-5s to play at nine, 12 and 16 so it was all about going as low as possible.
“The conditions up until the last two holes were just so benign and the golf course was playing so easy, so not to birdie nine and to miss my birdie on 16 was a little disappointing.
“I felt I could have easily been eight-under par through nine holes but we’re right up there in the team event which is great for my dad.”
McIlroy now plays the final two rounds of the championship on the Old Course of St. Andrews and where he knows how to go low having shot 63 on day one of the 2010 Open only to be blown off the course a day later in shooting an 80.
“I do know how to go low on the Old Course and if I can shoot a couple 64s over the weekend at get to 20-under par, it should have a chance to win so that’s the goal now headed to St. Andrews,” he said.
