THE POWER AND THE RORY!
Majestic McIlroy roars into contention in Texas after exquisite 63
THE glorious sight of Rory McIlroy rising majestically to the Charles Schwab Challenge has set the stage for a muchneeded feast of live televised sport this weekend.
The world No1 was joined by some of the game’s most bankable stars in putting on a sumptuous second-round spectacle that has certainly whetted the appetite for the final two rounds in Texas.
How does the Northern Irishman tackling the likes of local boy Jordan Spieth and the latter’s great mate Justin Thomas sound after so long watching reruns of yesteryear?
McIlroy blitzed his way round Colonial Country Club in an exquisite 63 shots to move to within two strokes of the early second-round leader Harold Varner III, who assembled perhaps the day’s gutsiest round.
One of the only four black players on the PGA Tour, the 29-year-old from Ohio was the poster boy on Thursday with his opening 63, given the heightened racial climate in America.
When he started with a triple bogey yesterday, it looked as if the game would show its cruel side. Varner III, however, is a man with a message to deliver, and it showed as he bounced back with a marvellous run of birdies on the back nine for a 66 to break the mythical total of 130 for two rounds by one shot.
Varner III, who has never won on tour, finished one shot ahead of Spieth, who shot a second successive 65, and is seeking to cap a stunning renaissance.
Then comes McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and another exciting young American, Collin Morikawa. Thomas is three back.
McIlroy is now so good, did anyone really doubt he would pick up from where he left off in March, and a blistering run of seven consecutive top-five finishes? For two days he has been a sight to behold from tee to green, and yesterday added the missing piece as he required only 26 putts, five fewer than Thursday. The only surprise was his stumble at the last, where he mustered his only bogey. ‘I’ve been playing well at home and I’ve been hitting the ball the way I want to,’ said McIlroy, who admitted that it has taken time to adjust to the new spectator-less environment.
‘Things have started to become normal. Even yesterday when the first birdie went in and I didn’t get a clap, my hand was ready to wave to someone in the gallery. But, obviously, no one was there.
‘We are all doing our best and I’m starting to get used to it.’
Just like joint first-round leader Justin Rose, who was out late yesterday, Spieth used the enforced lay-off for some serious soul-searching.
He could not have asked for a better venue for his first tournament back, a course he has played hundreds of times. He could not have asked for a better playing partner either than Thomas, the friendly adversary who has been chasing him down since they were both 14 years old.
What a treat as they turned the clock back and dared each other to make one birdie after another.
Spieth showed all the qualities that made him famous, including that streak of Texan teak — much needed following a lapse at the par-four third, his 12th hole.
At the time he was in the zone, at six under for his round. A three-foot par putt looked a formality. Not only did he miss it, he missed the next one as well for a double bogey.
When he followed it with a bogey, you wondered whether the scarring left by the lean times would open up. Spieth’s response? Two classy shots to 15 feet and he rolled in the birdie putt.
What a grand weekend we have in store.