Rory McIlroy wages dramatic late fight for Open Cut
Rory McIlroy had made such a hash of the first day of the Open that even making the cut at Royal Portrush would mean a victory.
Now, in the gloom of Friday night, the Northern Irishman was walking in the direction of the cutting line, a nail-biting, stomach-turning bird at the same time.
Leaders JB Holmes and Shane Lowry had long since finished setting the middle way at eight o'clock to be led by a shot by the English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood.
But the home crowd felt the tournament within a tournament was just warming up.
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McIlroy started the first Open in Northern Ireland for 68 years as a sentimental favorite, the local hero has won a fairy tale.
But his fourfold bogey eight at the very first hole on Thursday pierced that balloon and he went on with a 79 for eight.
Needing fire Friday, despite turning off in spit rain, the four-time great champion went hunting for the task.
The cut was expected to come over once, which means he had to make seven shots.
On a course as formidable as the Dunluce links, in an Open Championship line-up, with bad weather, it was a stiff proposition.
But this was McIlroy, the most famous sporting son of Northern Ireland, who set the track record of 61 at Royal Portrush as a 16-year-old.
He had clawed two back at the bend, but there was still a mountain to climb. But with a series of three straight birdies from the 10th, the impossible dream suddenly seemed to come into contact.
A bogey, via a greenside bunker in the short 13th, was like a dagger in the heart – back to four over and with holes running out.
But the star from Holywood, near Belfast, has always been a cash register and he refused to admit to making a new bird on the 14th.
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In the short 16th – nicknamed "Calamity Corner" – he put his tee shot at 12 feet and emptied the putt, creating the late crowd in the stands stand up and roar.
One. More. Birdie.
Drama at 17 when his ride reached the right rough, but McIlroy cut it out on the green. The long birdie putt remained compassionate.
The task was now simple. McIlroy needed a little bird on the 18th, at dusk, to get through to the weekend.
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& # 39; Is going to hurt & # 39;
From a perfect position on the fairway, Mclroy hit his approach in the darkening sky and watched him up and down as he ascended to the green. But it was a bit more than enough, and the moaning of the diehards in the stands told you the result. The ball dribbled through a hole to the left of the green. Placing his chip was not impossible, but unlikely.
McIlroy roared to the green as if he were the last to win on Sunday and took off his cap to acknowledge their applause.
He struck the shot, no doubt expressing in his head a rule he had repeated many times as a young person: "This … to make the cut in the Open." Or maybe not.
It was quite an effort. But he took two down and it all came down to 65, the best round of the week with one, but still not good enough.
How he will discuss those wasted shots on Thursday. It contributes to the growing story of McIIroy trying to come back from meltdown rounds with majors.
He said he would probably cry if he won, but he was just watery talking to reporters. later 1945
"Part of me is very disappointed not to be here for the weekend, I am emotional but happy with how I played," he told Sky Sports.
"The support I received there was incredible, yesterday gave me a mountain to climb, but I dug into it and showed good resilience.
" It will hurt a little. I have been looking forward to this week for a long time.
"I did not play my role but everyone in Northern Ireland came to see me and played theirs."
He will have to wait until next year to continue his search for a first major since 2014 – and the last part of the grand slam career at the Masters.
McIlroy & # 39; s countryman Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open champion who was born and raised in Portrush, made the cut with no room to spare, but Portrush resident Darren Clarke, the 2011 Open champion, also missed .
Instead, Ireland Lowry et al. Are central at the weekend.
Lowry is already something of a public favorite at Royal Portrush, a place he knows well.
"It [the reception] was incredible from the first hole," he told reporters Friday.
"You can't help but smile, you just have to laugh what it is like, it makes no sense to be afraid of it." It is an incredible feeling that is praised on every green tee box. I give my best and try to do my best for everyone, I assume. "
