Rory McIlroy continues to find on course ‘release’ from his off course personal troubles in motoring his way into contention on day two of a rain-sodden BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
McIlroy fought back from a seventh hole double bogey, and a hole he had eagled a day earlier, to post a one under par 71 for a five under par tally in the European Tour flagship event.
The double Major winner had ended his opening round just after 8pm local time, and while being pestered by midges, the 25-year old took some of the sting out of ‘The Burma Road’ course with a pair of eagles to end at four-under par.
Rory McIlroy anxiously watches a shot during the second round of the BMW PGA, (Photo – David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie)
But then McIlroy gave two shots back at the start of his second round with bogeys at two and three and while he birdied the fourth, he was in trouble at the par four seventh and even with ‘line of sight’ relief from a TV tower, played his fourth to the green from where he two-putted for a double and less than a day after holing his second shot for eagle.
However his inward nine was more encouraging eagling the 12th for a second running, and this occasion landing a 7-iron to nine feet ahead of birdies at 15, 16 and the last.
“I was standing on the 10th tee with my goal was to get back to even par for the day and I managed to go one better so that’s pleasing,” he said.
“So five under par going into the weekend, when the conditions are pretty tricky, is a good effort, and you know, I stood here on Thursday saying that I would be happy to make the cut, and I’m in for the weekend, which is nice. Hopefully I can make a run at it.”
McIlroy’s effort ended a run of two missed cuts at Tour HQ, and given the turmoil in his private life the current World No. 10 was first surprised but now glad to be playing a further two rounds of the leafy Surrey layout.
“In a way it’s been a surprise to make the cut but once you get inside the ropes, you’re concentrating on your golf, and it’s almost like it’s a nice four or five hours release in some way just to get everything out of your head apart from doing the job at hand,” he said.
“So it’s nice. But then it’s the hours in the day when you’re away from it that are probably a little more difficult.
“And it’s great now to be in contention. You can’t let your mind wander at all when you’re trying to win a golf tournament.
“Also everyone I’ve seen has been supportive and saying keep your chin up, everything is okay, whatever.”
