Portrush (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Rory McIlroy dug deep in his second round to stay in contention for the British Open title on Friday, as 2023 champion Brian Harman moved into a one-shot lead at Royal Portrush before driving afternoon rain hit the course. Home favourite McIlroy carded a two-under par 69 to reach three-under for the tournament, five strokes behind Harman, as he continues his bid for a second Claret Jug.
After benign morning conditions, world number one Scottie Scheffler, starting on three-under, was greeted by heavy rain when he reached the first green. Harman, who won by six shots at Hoylake two years ago, started with consecutive birdies before another on the par-five seventh hole took him into the outright lead. The American completed a bogey-free 65, the joint-best round of the week so far, with his sixth birdie of the day on the 18th green.
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“The only thing I’m really worried about is the first tee ball tomorrow, and then I’ll try to hit the next one up there close to the flag,” said Harman. “If not, go to the second hole. It’s a very boring approach that I take. I’m not trying to be heroic or do anything crazy.”
McIlroy, who only made two of 14 fairways on Thursday, delighted the crowds surrounding the opening hole with a birdie to immediately move to two-under after his first-round 70. His roller-coaster tournament continued, with bogeys on the third and fifth holes sandwiching another birdie on four, as his errant driving prevented him from taking full advantage of excellent scoring conditions. But the Northern Irishman found his groove late in his round, making two birdies in his final seven holes to stay in touch with Harman.
Harman is one shot clear of China’s Li Haotong, who was three-under for his round through the front nine and seven-under for the tournament. Robert MacIntyre, hoping to become the first Scottish major champion since Paul Lawrie in 1999, surged into contention with a 66 to reach five-under. MacIntyre is level in the clubhouse with Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, also seeking a maiden major title, and Danish youngster Rasmus Hojgaard.
Last year’s runner-up Justin Rose, who lost to McIlroy in a play-off at the Masters in April, bounced back from a triple-bogey on the 11th hole to reach the halfway stage on minus two, six strokes off the pace. Two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau bounced back from his disastrous first-round 78 by matching Harman’s second round with a spectacular 65. DeChambeau appeared set to miss the cut for a second straight British Open when he bogeyed the 11th to slip back to five-over, with the projected cut line at plus two. But the American found four birdies in his final seven holes.
“I wanted to go home. But I woke up this morning and I said, ‘You know what, I can’t give up’,” said DeChambeau. Joint overnight leader Jacob Skov Olesen hit two shots out of bounds off the first tee and made a quadruple-bogey eight as he quickly slipped out of the running.
– Scheffler eyeing Friday charge –
Scheffler also fought struggles off the tee in his opening round but still managed to fire a three-under 68. The PGA Championship winner will have his eyes firmly set on the top of the leaderboard, but could be hampered by inclement weather for a second straight day. “When it’s raining sideways, it’s actually, believe it or not, not that easy to get the ball in the fairway,” he said on Thursday.
Other afternoon starters include Matthew Fitzpatrick, who was tied for the overnight lead on four-under par. Reigning champion Xander Schauffele resumes his title defence on even par, while Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry, the 2019 winner at Portrush, will be looking to improve from one-under.
© 2024 AFP
