McIlroy battles back to survive the cut
on one over, but in true McIlroy style the Rory resurrection was anything but straightforward. However, he had expected so much more after finishing seventh in his comeback event at the World Golf Championship weeks ago.
“It’s been a bit of a struggle, which I didn’t really anticipate coming in here,” McIlroy said. “I felt I was hitting the ball well in practice, putting in Mexico two it good, but I just haven’t really been able to piece it together. So, at least I’m here for the weekend and got two more days to try to improve. It was fairly adventurous out there.”
Indeed, it was. He went five, five on opening par fours and at four over he was, as the locker-room vernacular has it, “queuing at the Delta ticket counter”. But then, courtesy of a birdie on the par-five 12th and then an 18-footer for an eagle on the par-five 16th, he was peering upwards rather than downwards.
There followed a chunk into the water on the 17th and the world No 3 was up against it again. McIlroy responded in superb style, birdied the par-four 18th, when playing a marvellous approach into nine feet, and then going through his second nine in one under.
McIlroy realises time is against him as this is his last strokeplay event before Augusta. He is playing in next week’s WGC Match Play in Austin, but taking on the person rather than the card is a different test altogether.
In stark contrast to McIlroy’s struggles, Matt Fitzpatrick is enjoying a week to remember and the Englishman carded a 69 to go with his opening round of 67 to reach halfway at eight under par, two shots behind the leader, American Charley Hoffman. Matt Parcell continued his bright start to life in Super League by inspiring Leeds to a 38-14 victory over neighbours Wakefield.
On the day the Rhinos announced they had agreed a settlement with NRL club Cronulla over hooker James Segeyaro, his replacement, Parcell, ran the show as Leeds followed up last week’s demolition of Catalans.
Kallum Watkins opened his 2017 account with two first-half tries either side of Anthony Mullally’s powerful finish to give the Rhinos a commanding 20-4 half-time lead.
Ryan Hall went over early in the second period to end the match as a contest and further tries from Adam Cuthbertson and Parcell completed a comfortable win that sent Leeds back into the top four.
turned on the style against struggling to claim a third successive win that lifts them to second. It took Lee Radford’s men 31 minutes to take the lead at the KCOM Stadium but they cut loose early in the second half with three tries in a six-minute spell to finish 32-12 winners and leave the Vikings still looking for their first win.