Rory McIlroy survives Open cut but faces weekend chase at Birkdale
McIlroy’s 3-under 67 kept him around for the weekend, but Lucas Herbert’s 62 left him seven shots back after 36 holes at the Open.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Rory McIlroy did the first bit of business Friday at Royal Birkdale: he made sure his Open Championship would not end after two rounds.
The harder part now sits right in front of him. According to ESPN, McIlroy’s 3-under 67 in the second round moved him to 1 under for the tournament, seven strokes behind leader Lucas Herbert at the 154th Open Championship in Southport, England.
McIlroy, the 2014 Open champion and reigning Masters champion, said his main goal Friday was getting to the weekend. He did that, though the leaderboard made clear how much ground he still has to claw back if he is to win a second Claret Jug.
Herbert set the pace at 8 under, while ESPN’s leaderboard showed Cameron Young and James Suber at 6 under. Sam Burns reached 5 under after a sizzling Friday. ESPN reported that Herbert and Burns each shot 8-under 62, tying the major championship scoring record.
McIlroy told reporters he felt he had let chances slip, especially after seeing two players post 62s. His round steadied his week after an opening day in which his putting badly dragged him down.
Putting problems cool off
ESPN reported that McIlroy struggled Thursday with the slower greens at Royal Birkdale, losing 2.72 strokes putting and ranking 148th in the 156-player field on the greens.
Before Friday’s round, McIlroy worked with putting coach Brad Faxon. By the time his second round was done, ESPN said he was slightly positive on the greens, gaining about 0.14 strokes putting.
McIlroy said the work with Faxon centered on his routine and trusting what he saw. He added that some putts in the first round had moved differently than he expected, which left him uneasy over the ball.
He said he was still not fully settled on the greens, but felt Friday was a better step. More made putts over the weekend may decide whether this becomes a chase or a farewell lap.
The driver is doing damage
If the putter has been the worry, the driver has been the weapon. ESPN reported that McIlroy gained 3.23 strokes off the tee in Friday’s round.
His most eye-catching blow came again at the 405-yard ninth hole. For the second straight day, McIlroy drove the green there. On Friday, his 377-yard tee shot finished on the putting surface, setting up a two-putt birdie from 11 1/2 feet. In the first round, a 389-yard drive on the same hole also helped him make birdie.
McIlroy said he had not planned during practice to attack the ninth with driver because the wind was different. Once the conditions changed during tournament play, he saw a route over the corner and took it.
Now he needs a Saturday charge. McIlroy said that if he can start well and get to 4 or 5 under for the championship, he believes he will be in the mix. With Herbert out front and several contenders between them, the weekend asks for something sharper than survival.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.