Rory slips out of the frame as Fleetwood and Hatton lead chase for glory
RORY McIlroy endured a second frustrating day at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after failing to catch up with the leading pack.
McIlroy posted a one under round of 71 but languishes in joint-98th place, 11 shots off the pace, heading into today’s third round.
Englishmen Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood share the lead on 11 under, with Fleetwood enjoying a stellar round of 63 at Carnoustie.
Day one’s overnight leader Paul Dunne slipped back to nine under but the Irishman, along with German Marcel Siem (nine under) and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts (10 under), will be hoping to push on.
McIlroy was also on the Carnoustie course yesterday but got off to a worrying start with a bogey on the par four third.
The Ulsterman finished one under after carding a dreadful seven on the sixth hole.
He recovered with three birdies on the turn but faces an uphill challenge to get near the title contenders now.
McIlroy returns to the Old Course today.
Fleetwood admitted to being pleasantly surprised by his form after shooting a Carnoustie course-record 63.
Asked how it felt to break the course record, Fleetwood said: “I had been practising while I was at home but I had a week where I didn’t do anything. That week feels like a year when you’re in the middle of it.
“I was kind of pleasantly surprised when I came on the range on Tuesday. I hit it all right but yesterday I played OK and I really enjoyed being back playing and being back in competition where every shot counts.
“It doesn’t matter how much you play at home or what you do, it’s not the same, so to have a course record, especially on a golf course like this, it’s brilliant to have. It’s a very proud moment.”