Birdie run helps McIlroy avoid cut

By: Doug Ferguson Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013

PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Rory McIlroy already was 5 over for his round and appeared headed to another short week in a major. He finished with four birdies on the last eight holes, including a 40-foot putt from off the green, and achieved a first in his PGA Tour career.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/08/2013 (4635 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Rory McIlroy already was 5 over for his round and appeared headed to another short week in a major. He finished with four birdies on the last eight holes, including a 40-foot putt from off the green, and achieved a first in his PGA Tour career.

He made his first cut at a tournament when he was the defending champion.

The sample size is small — this was only his fourth time as defending champ — but the 24-year-old from Northern Ireland was no less pleased. Considering the way his season has gone, he’ll take even the most modest of victories.

“I’m obviously standing up pretty happy about the day,” McIlroy said after rallying for a 71 to post two rounds at even-par 140. “Had a nice finish to the round. I was letting the round get away from me somewhat, but making four birdies on the last eight holes was nice to redeem the round a little bit and keep myself in the tournament.”

McIlroy previously missed the cut when defending at Quail Hollow in 2011, the U.S. Open in 2012 and the Honda Classic this year when he withdrew in the middle of the second round. He has two more title defences in the next month at the Deutsche Bank Championship and the BMW Championship. That’s assuming he gets to the BMW Championship, which is for only the top 70 in the FedEx Cup playoffs. McIlroy is at No. 58. Perhaps he can pick up some ground on the weekend.

“It makes me feel good because maybe in the middle of the season, or a couple of months ago, I wouldn’t have been standing up here,” McIlroy said. “I would have been going home.”

LEFTY CAN’T GET IT RIGHT: Phil Mickelson stayed on the practice range until sunset Thursday working with coach Butch Harmon, trying to find the swing that brought him a British Open title only three weeks ago.

He hit his opening tee shot into deep rough on the left. His next tee shot went into a bunker right of the flag.

Mickelson, remarkably, went out in 34 despite not having a clear sense where the ball was going. It caught up with him on the front nine, however, with two bogeys and no birdies. Mickelson shot another 71 and was toward the bottom of the pack.

Making it look worse was playing alongside the other two major champions this year — Masters champ Adam Scott, who had a 68, and U.S. Open champ Justin Rose, who shot 29 on the front nine for a 66.

“What I found was the holes that were birdie holes actually played easier because of the rain by softening the greens. The holes that were really hard, like 17 and 18, played even harder,” Mickelson said. “I thought that guys that were playing well, like Adam and Justin, it gives them a chance to play and separate themselves from the players who aren’t playing well — like myself.”

— The Associated Press