I CAN’T LET DAD DOWN
RORY McILROY admits he has the weekend at Wentworth to get his game in shape – or risk the wrath of his old man when he tees up in Scotland next week.
The world No.2 admitted he only had himself to blame after scraping inside the cut mark at the BMW PGA Championship.
McIlroy took two weeks off after losing out in a play-off at the European Masters and revealed at the start of the week he had to drag himself “off the sofa” before making the journey to Surrey.
A rusty four-over 76 on day one was followed up by yesterday’s 69 as the Northern Irishman made the cut on one over.
That will give him two more rounds to prepare for the Dunhill Links Championship – split between St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns – where he will partner his father Gerry.
He will tee up today 12 shots adrift of joint leaders Jon Rahm (67) and a resurgent Danny Willett (65) on 11 under.
And McIlroy said: “I’m a long way back but if I can shoot six or seven under (in the third round) I might still be in it.
“It’s a couple of days to practise and get ready, I don’t want to let my dad down in the Dunhill. He was critiquing me on the way to the course this morning!
“I’m happy to be here for the weekend. I had to battle hard out there just to be here. I’m proud of myself for hanging in.
“My golf over the first couple of days hasn’t been what I BY DALE RANKIN would’ve expected but I probably deserve that. I didn’t really do much the last couple of weeks and when you don’t practise, you don’t keep on top of it, some things start to creep into your game.”
After missing the cut at Wentworth last May, Willett had plunged to 462nd in the world.
But the 2016 Masters winner finished tied eighth in the Italian Open the following week then clinched victory at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Willett said: “I was playing well here last year but I had a vasectomy four days before so I don’t think that helped.
“I’m not going to lie to you, it was a relatively painful two days of walking.”
World No.4 Justin Rose, who had been doubtful with a knee injury suffered on his manager’s stag do, was two shots off the lead after a 68, alongside Swede Henrik Stenson (69) and South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout (67).
Richie Ramsay tees up today as top Scot after bouncing back from a bogey start with a 68 that left him tied 12th on five under.
Russell Knox is one further back after a 71 while Robert MacIntyre birdied the last in a 72 for three under after enduring three bogeys in four back-nine holes.
A 69 ensured David Law joins them in sticking around on level par as Scott Jamieson undid his fine work in Thursday’s 68 with a 77 that left him one over.