Rory McIlroy’s Friday curse again jumped up to bite the double Major winner in plunging from a one stroke lead to be trailing by six shots on day two of the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen.
After setting a new course record of a seven under par 64 McIlroy returned to the stunning links gem and stumble his way to a seven over par 78 and drop back to a share of 34th place at level par in the £STG 3m event.
Three players – Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg (71), Scotland’s Marc Warren (69) and Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez (71) – share the lead on six under par.
However the 44-year old Gonzalez, and a four-time Tour winner, had to call a penalty shot on himself when he found bushes down the final fairway and when leading by two shots.
Rory McIlroy kept marshals and spectators on their toes all day on route to a horror seven over par 78.
Gonzalez eventually walked off with a double bogey as he looks to a first Tour win in four years.
McIlroy had confirmed next week’s British Open favouritism on the opening day in muscling his way to a one stroke lead and his first Scottish Open since 2009.
However he severely dented next week’s Royal Liverpool top billing in a clumsy Royal Aberdeen effort in bright but continuing windy conditions that included just one birdie at the sixth but also six bogeys and a 12th hole double bogey where he found a greenside bunker and took two shots to find the green.
“I would be happier standing here after shooting a couple of 71s but that’s not the case,” he said.
“It hasn’t been case all year that I’ve got off to great start and just fell away because I am still in the tournament and can go out there in the morning and get a few of those shots back I lost.
“And this Friday thing and having to talk about it, as it’s always being brought up. It’s sort of in my mind and maybe I put myself under even more pressure and instead just get off to a decent start and shoot a good score.
“So it’s another Friday out of the way, and I can go onto the weekend.”
Broberg’s recent good form continues as he looks to win for a first time on the main Tour after winning four times in 2012 on the secondary Challenge Tour.
However the 27-year old Stockholm golfer was also counting the costs of a 14th hole double bogey when also leading at eight under par.
“I again had to stay very patient out there as it’s very tough with the back nine brutal as we saw when I took the double on 14,” he said.
Warren is determined to make amends for letting slip victory in the 2012 Scottish Open after leading at Castle Stuart with eight holes to play but then missing out on the eventual play-off by a shot.
“What happened two years ago was tough to swallow, but it was good experience, and I think in the future will stand me in good stead,” said the Scot.
And defending champion Phil Mickelson was headed to the nearby and two-year old Trump International Links Course Scotland to practice after his round of 73 for a share of 19th place on one under par.
However missing the two over par cut-off mark was American Kevin Stadler who shot a 71 for a three over par tally and less than a week after letting slip victory in the French Open.
Also at three over par was former World and European Number One Lee Westwood (73) along with six-time Major winner Nick Faldo who was two under par after six holes but slumped also to a 73 and a four over par total.
