RORY EXITS SLUMP
Putting on course for Augusta Masters
JUST about the only thing missing in terms of exciting storylines in the build-up to the Masters has been the glorious sight of Rory McIlroy in full flow.
Over the first 36 holes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, the Co Down man did enough to suggest we shouldn’t give up on the possibility just yet. Certainly, his golf thus far in his final strokeplay start before Augusta in less than three weeks — he will also compete in the WGC-Match Play in Austin next week — has been a massive upgrade on the erratic, uncertain play we saw over the previous month in America.
This was more like the McIlroy who started the season so impressively with back-to-back topthree finishes in successive events in the Middle East.
Most encouraging of all has been the startling improvement in his putting, so often his Achilles heel.
After signing for a second round 70 for a five under par halfway total of 139, McIlroy was perched in the top five in strokes gained in putting.
If the 28-year-old finishes in the top five at Augusta in that category, there would be every chance his big mate Sergio Garcia would be helping him into a green jacket to complete the career Grand Slam.
For that to happen, however, he would also have to cut out the sort of brainless course management decisions that cost him a shot on his penultimate hole (the 8th on the card). McIlroy was flying after three birdies in a row but caught a horrendous lie following a poor tee shot. The situation cried out for laying up short of the water that guards the green, but he went for it and duly paid the price.
On American television the oncourse commentator, former PGA Tour player Robert Damron, made an interesting observation even before McIlroy found the water.
‘This is not a shot he should take on given the lie but it’s the sort of move you make when you don’t trust your wedge game, and don’t think you can get up and down for par,’ he said.
As it happened, after taking a penalty drop, McIlroy did get up and down for what should have been a regulation figure rather than an aggravating bogey.
But Damron’s point was brought into sharp focus on the next hole when McIlroy missed the green with a wedge, before rescuing par with a fine bunker shot and a 4ft putt.
Still, if he can cut out the silly errors, the rest of his game appears good enough to mount a challenge this weekend, or at least muster a morale-boosting top-five finish.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson overcame a slow start to remain at the top of the leaderboard on day two.
Stenson added a second round of 69 to his opening 64 to set the early clubhouse target on 11 under par, a target matched minutes later by American Bryson DeChambeau following a 66.
Stenson had covered the back nine in 31 on Thursday, but after starting from the 10th on Friday, the former Open champion could only manage nine straight pars to reach the turn in 36.
The par streak was extended to 13 holes before Stenson found his range on the greens to birdie the fifth, sixth and seventh to maintain his bid for a first win of the season.
Asked what made the difference between missing the cut in last week’s Valspar Championship and his performance so far, the world number 15 told PGA Tour Live: ‘Putting more than anything, but a combination of putting and my shots.
‘I’ve been hitting a few really close this week and setting up some good opportunities from three or four feet. Today wasn’t as good as yesterday, obviously but the important part for me was 16, 17, 18. I scrambled for par all those three holes after hitting some not-so good golf shots.
‘I kept patient and then I got on a strong and made three [birdies] in a row coming home. Three under around this golf course is never bad.’