UNKIND CUT
McIlroy’s miracle run to make it to weekend falls just short
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Rory McIlroy brought himself and the thousands of home fans madly cheering him on to tears after his emotional British Open second round Friday at Royal Portrush.
He had just shot a 6-under 65 — matching the low round of the tournament — and made a spirited charge at making the cut after shooting a shocking 79 in Thursday’s opening round … but it wasn’t enough.
McIlroy missed the 1-over cut by one shot, but he had all in the crowd at Royal Portrush on the edge of their grandstand seats as he made his furious run at the cut line.
When it was over, McIlroy, speaking with tears in his eyes, said the emotion of the moment “hit me like a ton of bricks.’’
“I’m disappointed not to be here for the weekend, but unbelievably proud of how I handled myself today coming back after what was a very challenging day [Thursday],’’ McIlroy said. “I’m also full of gratitude toward every single one of the people that followed me to the end, willing me on. As much as I came here at the start of the week saying I wanted to do it for me, by the end of the round there today, I was doing it just as much for them as I was for me.
“I wanted to be here for the weekend. Self ishly, I wanted to feel that support for two more days. Today was probably one of the most fun rounds of golf I’ve ever played. To play in front of those crowds today and to feel that momentum and really dig in, it’s going to be a tough one to get over. I’ll probably rue the finish yesterday, dropping five shots on the last three holes.’’
McIlroy took a quadruplebogey 8 on the opening hole Thursday and fought back to get to 3 over. His regret for the week will be the double bogey he took Thursday on the par-3 16th hole, on which he three-putted from six feet, including a one-foot bogey miss. He closed his f irst round with a triple on the 18th.
“What happened [Thursday] was a bit of an anomaly,’’ McIlroy said. “But I felt [Friday] I showed the real Rory McIlroy and the golf that I can play. I will look back on this day with nothing but fond memories and fondness, positivity.’’
Some of McIlroy’s fellow pros were so moved by what they saw, they took to Twitter to praise him.
Eddie Pepperell tweeted: “Fair play to Rory. Probably the most disappointing 65 you could ever shoot but boy, he has so much class.’’
Justin Thomas tweeted: “Even as a competitor and trying to beat the guy every week, sometimes I have to step back and realize how great @McIlroyRory is for golf. How he handles the spotlight, the highs, the lows, his social life, the fans, his golf, everything … it’s awesome to watch.’’
McIlroy, who was tied for 150th in the 156-player f ield after the opening round, was trying to become the first player to make the cut after being 150th or worse since Jack Nicklaus did it in the 1995 British Open at St. Andrews.
McIlroy, on Friday, carded seven birdies and only one bogey — on the par-3 13th — and had a chance to get to 1-over when he missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the 17th green. He stepped to the 18th tee needing birdie to make the cut. He hit his tee shot into the fairway, but his approach shot rolled left of the green, leaving him a difficult birdie chip that skidded just left of the flag to end his chances of staying for the weekend.