G-Mac pulls out as weather hits Rory’s hopes of comeback
again. We were always trying to make sure you weren’t overloading the players to make sure they weren’t doing too much.
“Even through their championships it was the same, they were playing hurling championship one week, football championship the next week,” he adds.
“We are doing twice as many hurling training sessions than we would have been doing before and we are able to implement our own physical training which is maybe more adapted to hurling than football.
“And the players were obviously disappointed after the football semi-final. “They got themselves re-focused quickly and realised this is an opportunity now for them to really focus on hurling and we seem to be really embracing it and enjoying it.”
Middletown and Slaughtneil have crossed paths before, back in 2016 in Newry.
Not much has changed. Game on.
GRAEME McDowell has withdrawn from the inaugural Zozo Championship, which is set for a Monday finish after torrential rain caused yesterday’s play in Japan to be suspended.
G-Mac was bottom of the field after struggling during an 11 over par opening round that included two double bogeys and a triple.
Rory McIlroy is eight shots ahead of his countryman.
McIlroy, along with the remainder of the field, are playing the rescheduled second round this morning.
No spectators will be granted access to the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club today due to safety concerns after more than six inches of rain fell at the course yesterday, when no play took place.
The downpour, which was heavier than had been initially forecast, forced the Tour to push the second round back until 9.30am local time this morning, therefore extending the tournament to an extra day.
The weekend forecast does bring hope of improved conditions but the added day’s play ensures competitors will not have to play more than 18 holes per day.
That will be music to the ears of joint-leader Tiger Woods, who is potentially three rounds from equalling Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA Tour victories.
“It’s going to be sloppy and tough for us and it’s going to be a grind on the weekend,” he said. “Hopefully I can keep it going.”
The world number 10 is six under par after Thursday’s opening round, alongside US Open champion Gary Woodland.
Woods started with three consecutive bogeys but bounced back with nine birdies in his closing 15 holes to thrill the Japanese fans, who turned out in number to watch both golf ’s biggest star and home favourite Hideki Matsuyama, who is just one shot behind.
McIlroy begins his second round eight shots back after carding a disappointing opening 72.
With no cut, the world number two is under no pressure to make it through to the second half of the tournament but he will be keen to push up the leaderboard as he chases down the world’s top player Brooks Koepka, who is not teeing it up this week after injuring his knee at the CJ Cup.