Golf:World number one Rory McIlroy looks certain to miss the cut in the Players' Championship at TPC Sawgrass after he shot a four over par, 76 in today's second round. It left him four over for the tournament with the projected cut mark likely to be even par.
The 23 year old had spoken in the past of how the course doesn’t suit his eye and on his two previous visits to Sawgrass he missed the cut. He elected not to play in the tournament last year. The last time McIlroy failed to make the weekend in a US tour event was the Wells Fargo Championship last year.
Despite starting with a birdie on the 10th, his first hole, he racked up bogeys on the 13th, 18th, first, fourth and eighth holes to sign for a 76. He admitted: “There is something about this place I just can’t get to grips with. I just need to try and get the hang of this golf course somehow. I find it pretty difficult but it’s just one of those weeks.”
His fellow Northern Ireland professional Graeme McDowell faces an anxious wait after a battling one under regulation figures, 71 left him on one over for the tournament. Two over for his round standing on the 11th tee, he birdied that hole, the 12th and the 16th to rescue his round somewhat.
Padraig Harrington, who started the day on three under, suffered a double bogey at the 10th, his first hole, but rallied to birdie the par five, 11th. A steady run of pars was broken by a brace of bogeys, at the 18th and first hole but the Irishman immediately birdied the par five, second to hover one shot clear of the cut mark with seven holes to play.
The field are chasing American Zach Johnson, who shot a superb six under, 66, to move to eight under for the tournament. The 2007 Masters winner, got off to a great start with three birdies in the opening four holes but he will be disappointed to have ended with a bogey on the 18th. He was joined on that mark by Kevin Na, who was three under for his round but still had seven holes to play.
The 36-year-old headed into the clubhouse with a two-stroke lead over a pack of golfers including South Korea’s Charlie Wi (67), American Jonathan Byrd (70), Australian Adam Scott (70) and Britain’s Brian Davis (70).
Martin Laird shared the overnight lead with Ian Poulter but dropped to two shots off the pace after returning a one-over 73, his solid effort undone by a double-bogey on the ‘island green’ 17th where he found water and then a bogey on the 18th.
Poulter, who was among the late starters, opened his second round on the back nine and was two-over after a double-bogey on his first hole and was four over after 10 holes.
