The Open Day 3: How the British & Irish players fared
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Britain’s hopes of a home winner look all-but over after Rory McIlroy’s quest for major glory faded in the sunshine on moving day at the 146th Open Championship.
On a record-breaking day at Royal Birkdale, McIlroy briefly got to within two shots of leader Jordan Spieth with three birdies in his first five holes, including a chip-in on the par-3 4th.
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However, he gave them all back in the space of four holes around the turn and while others around him set the leaderboard alight with red numbers, McIlroy could only find one birdie on the back nine to leave himself nine shots off the pace on two-under-par.
“I felt I gave myself some chances coming in,” said the world No.4. “I didn’t quite capitalise. I should have made that eagle on 15. And then not to birdie 17 either was disappointing. So, not the back nine that I wanted.”
McIlroy’s troubles began with “a bad swing” on the par-3 7th, which resulted in his first dropped shot of the day. Another one followed at the next and although a birdie on the 9th offered some consolation, the Northern Irishman encountered all sorts of problems on the 10th.
He was left with no option but to chip out sideways from a fairway bunker, but ended up misjudging the contours and found another straight in front.
He eventually carded a double-bogey six, before squandering makeable birdie putts on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th.
A soaring approach from 191 yards on the par-5 15th setup an eagle opportunity from five feet and hinted at a late rally. But again, the putt skirted the edge of the cup. David Leadbetter called it a “wasted opportunity”, others in the crowd weren’t quite so complimentary.
And so, a round which promised so much fizzled out and left McIlroy lamenting his putting woes yet again as he signed for a one-under-par 69.
He added: “I’ve always been good when I get off to fast starts, being able to keep it going, but I didn’t today. And I needed to, that’s the disappointing thing. I definitely feel like today was an opportunity lost to get right in the mix going into tomorrow.”
One man who did make the most of the favourable conditions was Ross Fisher, who reeled off six birdies to get onto the first page of the leaderboard.
A dropped shot on the last did mean he had to settle for a round of 66, but he remains on course for his best-ever finish at The Open in a tie for 11th alongside McIlroy, Ian Poulter and Richie Ramsay on two-under-par.
Ramsay admitted he was “in dreamland” heading into the weekend, and continued his fairytale run by birdieing the last two holes to card a level-par 70.
Poutler’s round was even more eventful and included five bogeys and four birdies as he lost ground on the leaders for a second successive day.
There was better news for Paul Casey and Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston, who got back to level par for the tournament to setup an all-British pairing on Sunday.
Hometown hero Tommy Fleetwood finally found the form that has yielded four top 10s in as many starts as he posted a four-under-par 66, a round which was later matched by Scot David Drysdale, to move back to one-over-par.
Silver medal winner Alfie Plant (69) sits two shots further back, one ahead of Justin Rose (69), Lee Westwood (69) and Andy Sullivan (69) who are part of a group of 15 players on four-over-par.
Danny Willett (73) props up the leaderboard on eight-over-par and has the unwanted task of hitting the first tee shot tomorrow.
The British & Irish Leaderboard: Day Two
Rory McIlroy: -2 (71, 68, 69)
Ross Fisher: -2 (70, 72, 66)
Ian Poulter: -2 (67, 70, 71)
Richard Bland: -1 (67, 72, 70)
Richie Ramsay: -1 (68, 70, 71)
Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston: E (69, 74, 67)
Matt Fitzpatrick: E (69, 73, 68)
Paul Casey: E (66, 77, 67)
Chris Wood: +1 (71, 72, 68)
David Drysdale: +1 (72, 73, 66)
Matt Southgate: +1 (72, 72, 67)
Tommy Fleetwood: +1 (76, 69, 66)
Alfie Plant (a): +3 (71, 73, 69)
Andy Sullivan: +4 (70, 75, 69)
Joe Dean: +4 (72, 72, 70)
Justin Rose: +4 (71, 75, 69)
Laurie Canter: +4 (70, 72, 72)
Lee Westwood: +4 (71, 74, 69)
Toby Tree: +4 (70, 75, 69)
Danny Willett: +8 (71, 74, 73)
