Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NO EXCUSES AS THE ROR BECOMES ONE BIG WHIMPER
More home discomfort for host Mcilroy as yet another underwhelming round sees cut missed
IRISH Open host Rory Mcilroy declined a safety net of excuses after tumbling off the Portstewart stage.
In truth, this was less tumble and more a forlorn trudge towards the exit door.
A dispiriting departure, hands in pockets, heading one final time towards the young fans, their high pitched voices beseeching ‘Rory!’ for an autograph.
Missing the halfway cut on the Causeway Coast after shooting a second round 73 to end his challenge prematurely wasn’t in the script.
And yet it is something Irish fans have come to expect from their marquee act on home soil.
In his last five outings at the Irish Open, Mcilroy has missed the cut four times. Yes, four.
Last year’s triumph at the K Club stands out as a shining beacon amidst the recent gloom.
Portstewart can now be added to the frustrations of Carton House (2013), Fota Island (2014) and Royal County Down two years ago.
“I’m really disappointed,” said Mcilroy, who suffered the ignominy of watching partners Jon Rahm and Hideko Matsuyama scale the leaderboard on 12-under and 9-under respectively.
“It’s an important tournament to me and one I want to play well in,” he added. “The last two times the Irish Open has been in Northern Ireland.. not playing at the weekend, it’s not where I want to be. That’s the most disappointing thing.”
Asked if his off course commitments as tournament host were a distraction, Mcilroy said: “Yeah, for sure. It’s definitely not a normal week for me, but I don’t want to make excuses.
“Even if I hadn’t done any practice the last week, with the conditions the way they are, I should be able to go out there and shoot two scores in the 60s standing on my head.”
Mcilroy, bidding to become the first player to retain the Irish Open since Colin Montgomerie in the late-90s, flirted with survival when he got himself 2-under with four to play.
But a bogey at the par-3 sixth and an error riddled double bogey at the penultimate put paid to his hopes.
Pawing for form and fluency since injuring a rib in January, he was asked if his game is in a perpetual state of “three steps forward, four steps back.”
“A little bit,” he admitted. “I’m seeing really positive stuff in practice and when I’m out playing, but when I get into tournament situations.. it’s all there, but it’s about putting the pieces together.
“I haven’t been as efficient with my scoring and that makes it very tough. You can’t keep hitting quality shots all the time.
“You have to get it up and down and make putts to keep momentum. I wasn’t able to do that.”
As prep time for
The Open at Royal Birkdale in 12 days time, it was far from ideal; although the
World No4 hopes to fine tune his play at Tron next week.
He said: “I’m just happy I have a tournament next week to play. I’ve got to dust myself off and get ready for the
Scottish Open.”