World No. 3 Rory McIlroy remained upbeat despite letting slip posting a new course record on day two of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Needing to birdie the last to send his name into Sawgrass records, McIlroy walked off with a disappointing bogey in a round of an eight under par 64 for a similar 36-hole tally at Ponte Vedre in Florida.
It meant missing out on a clubhouse share of third place and head to lunch tied sixth and just two adrift of the leading European-born duo of Sweden’s Jonas Blixt and Germany’s Alex Cejka, each with a pair of 67s, who head the field at 10-under par in the $US 10.5m event.
However, there was some delight for McIlroy who set a new career nine-hole low, and matching the outward course record with a 29 at Ponte Vedre in Florida.
It was the second day in succession the Irish flag was flying high atop of the leader board after Shane Lowry had set the new Sawgrass outward record with his 29 a day earlier.
McIlroy, who started his round from the 10th, capped his round by putting from off the green and 53-feet from the hole at the 16th hole for and eagle ‘3’.
He then seized five birdies to storm to 7-under par through nine holes and after commencing his second day’s play at level par.
The four-time Major winner kept the birdies ticking over at his 11th and 16th holes ahead of his final hole disappointment when, after laying-up some 90-yards from the flag at the par five ninth hole, he failed to find the green with his third but then ‘duffing’ his uphill chip just some 10-feet.
His 21-foot putt then pulled up three foot short before McIlroy putted out for a bogey and his 64.
And McIlroy’s effort at nine came just a short time after American Colt Knost horribly three-putted his last hole for bogey that saw him let slip by a shot in also shooting a 62.
“I had in my head that anytime I’ve gone for the green at the nine it’s never worked out well for me, and while I had a good yardage, I laid it up with a 9-iron so in hindsight with the pin being on the left hand side I should have taken my chances,” he said.
“I just didn’t hit a great third shot and maybe if I had the shot back I maybe might have gone for the green in two but it was in my head to just try and take my chances from inside 100-yards and just try and get up-and-down for a birdie.
“I then just under hit my third and left myself in a difficult position.
“But hopefully I won’t be too far behind at the end of the day.”
On the plus side, McIlroy’s outward nine effort bettered his previous best 9-hole effort of 30 first recorded in shooting a five-under par 30 on day one of the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open, and before eventually posting a seven-under par 63 on the par 70 Hong Kong lay-out.
McIlroy’s lowest nine holes on a par 72 course on the European Tour was a first round 31 and in a score of 63 on day one of the 2014 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
As well, McIlroy posted a blistering final round 61 that included an inward half of 30 to capture last year’s Wells Fargo Championship.
McIlroy’s 29 meant he is now 44-under par on the back nine in his past 14 rounds on the Pete Dye designed Stadium Course.
However, the only downside for McIlroy is that he’s 12-over par in a similar number of rounds over the opening nine holes.
“While it would have been good to get a four at the last but to have been able to take advantage of the course when I needed to that was nice and a 64 is still a great score,” he said.
“I hit a lot of quality shots today and I felt that my game has been under control for the last couple of weeks now, well at least the last four rounds.
“So hopefully I can continue to play like that over the weekend.”
And it’s come to notice the support fellow Irishman Graeme McDowell played in Lowry finishing day just two shots off the lead with a seven under par 65
While Lowry spoke of making a trans-Atlantic ‘emergency call’ to coach, Neil Manchin he also got some local practice ground advice from McDowell.
“I was getting a little over the ball, a little too close and G Mac told just me to move an inch away from where it is and see how it feels then,” said Lowry.
“And for some reason it just felt like it was easier to see my lines.”
Lowry was out in the afternoon half of the draw.
McDowell added a 70 to his opening 72 to finish at two under par to be assured of playing all four rounds.
Unfortunately, it was an early exit for Padraig Harrington who was winging his way home in readiness for next week’s Irish Open at the K. Club.
Harrington, who had posted a first round 72, got off to a great start with three starting birdies but it all turned pear-shaped when the thee-time Major winner bogeyed three of next five holes.
He then dropped shots at his 14th and 15th holes in a round of 74 to plunge to outside the top-100.
And in a big shock to his huge fan base but also set to miss the cut was defending champion Rickie Fowler with scores of 72 and 71.
