McIlroy admits game is ‘fragile’ but aces back nine to lie second
Rory McIlroy said it felt like he was playing at Wimbledon after going 4030 on two highly-contrasting nines. “It could have been worse – it could have been deuce,” he joked. The upshot was that on six-under he is second at the French Open, only two off the pace set by the Thai Thongchai Jaidee.
What the world No4 would give to play all of his final round in similar fashion to the manner in which he stormed through the inward half at Le Golf National, Paris. To negotiate this challenging stretch in five-under was some achievement, particularly after his horrors going out. If nothing else, it proved his resilience which seems to be ever-growing as he matures.
With the Open less than two weeks away, he will still be concerned that the swing changes he has made are not fully bedded in. But when he clicks he appears better than ever. However this event transpires, McIlroy will hit the range next week for some extensive labour with his coach, Michael Bannon, with the aim of arriving at Troon with his motion feeling natural. In the first two hours of the third round, the discomfort was very much in evidence.
“I just could not get anything going. The way I’m feeling with my game, if it’s good, it’s very good but if it’s bad, it’s hard to get out of it,” McIlroy said. “It shows the fragile state of my game at the moment, but to come back like I did was really pleasing.
“I’ve hit enough good shots this week to know it’s possible and I just needed to find a spark and get something going. I wasn’t quite sure how I would perform this week considering all the stuff I’m trying to work on but I’ve given myself a great chance. I was eight behind at one point today and to be only two back now is great.”
Jaidee, with seven European Tour wins, will be a difficult front-runner to overcome. His 68 was the only bogeyless round of a dramatic day during which the layout near Versailles highlighted what a fine Ryder Cup venue it will make in two years’ time.
Alongside McIlroy is the 20-year-old Jeung-hun Wang, whose 70 was almost McIlroy’s in reverse, going out in threeunder and coming back in three over.