Rory left Shanghai and dry
RORY MCILROY, without a victory since March, is on a new low in Shanghai.
The Ryder Cup star, whose last triumph was in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, endured a back-nine horror show in the second round of the WGC-HSBC Champions.
Mcilroy trails halfway leader Tony Finau by 16 shots after a second-round 77 that included a triple bogey on the 11th and a double bogey on the 16th.
But his Ryder Cup parther Justin Rose, bidding to regain world No.1 spot, fared much better.
Rose, who won the Shanghai title last year despite going into the final round eight shots off the lead, carded a bogey-free 67 to lie three shots behind Finau, alongside Southport’s Tommy Fleetwood.
“It was a bogey-free round so that’s pretty tidy,” the Fedex Cup champion said. “Those rounds don’t often come, especially in breezy conditions.
“I kept it mentally sharp and I felt like towards the end of the round I was making good decisions and good swings.
“I came into this tournament last year off a bunch of top 10s. I was feeling comfortable with my game and I feel a similar spot right now.
“Obviously there’s the added incentive of trying to get the 2019 PGA TOUR season off to a good start, so there’s the mental freshness that that gives you, but yeah, I feel like I’m in a similar spot.”
Rose played alongside new world No.1 Brooks Koepka, who appeared to be struggling with a back injury as he battled to a 74, which left him 13 shots off the pace on two over par.
American Ryder Cup star Finau added a 67 to his opening 66.
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick began the day three off the lead but slumped to a second round of 80 to finish three over par.