Wedge worries, but in-form Rory is still ticking all the boxes
IF THE week before a major can be summed up as a box-ticking exercise, then Rory McIlroy is heading towards the US PGA Championship with precious few areas of his game that remain unchecked.
As ever, ticks can be made in the boxes concerning his work off the tee but what must be exciting the Northern Irishman is the state of his short game.
At the halfway point of a stopstart second day at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the 28year-old stood first in sand saves, third in overall scrambling and sixth in putting.
McIlroy has talked often of taking more responsibility for his game rather than relying on outside voices and the DIY approach certainly appeared to be having a beneficial effect.
The only reason he was two shots off the pace in sixth place and not leading was his wedge play, which was sub-standard.
Time and again over the first 27 holes he failed to take advantage of drives that were finishing 40 yards past his playing partner, Open champion Jordan Spieth.
If he can sort that out over the weekend he will tick another box by being in contention to win his first title of the year. He will also head to Charlotte, North Carolina, quietly confident he can end a three-year drought at the majors.
Over the first two days here the threesome of McIlroy, Spieth and Jason Day provided a rich level of entertainment that certainly whetted the appetite for next week’s final major of the year.
Walking down the first, Day was moving so gingerly you wouldn’t have given tuppence for his chances, either this week or next.
His chronic back problem had flared up again and he was struggling for power to such an extent his drive finished 100 yards behind McIlroy’s. Yet only one of them walked off the green with a birdie — and it wasn’t McIlroy.
So began an extraordinary nine holes from Day, one where he barely hit a decent shot and yet made the turn in an incredible 30 blows. It helped, of course, when he followed the 30-footer he holed at the first with two more of similar length at the second and third. He then holed another at the ninth. Talk about the restorative power of a magical day on the greens. Somehow, he had crept a shot ahead of McIlroy into third place and two in front of Spieth.
Then came the third suspension for lightning and the man most affected was Scot Russell Knox.
He followed up his first round 66 with three straight birdies to establish a three-shot lead. When play resumed, however, he promptly had four bogeys to fall back into a tie with Day.
Disputing top spot were Jimmy Walker, who will defend his US PGA title next week, and Belgian Thomas Pieters. ENGLAND’S Georgia Hall is just two shots off the lead in the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns. The 21-year-old from Bournemouth shot rounds of 68 and 67 to be alongside top American Lexi Thompson in second place behind Korean, In-kyung Kim. Ireland’s Leona Maguire is tied 21st on four under after a round of 71, while Olivia Mehaffey failed to make the cut after following Thursday’s 71 with a disappointing 75.