Rory McIlroy in contention, and having fun, on home turf
Open Mcilroy Day The Of Liam Two Rory Amgen Happy: During Mcburney/pa Greets Wire Pic: Irish Fans
Mateo Manassero’s late push to the top of the Amgen Irish Open leaderboard will not dent Rory McIlroy’s confidence that he remains on course for a special weekend on home turf at Royal County Down this weekend.
Manassero, the 2013 BMW PGA Championship winner playing his first season on the DP World Tour since losing his playing rights six years ago following a terrible loss of form, stormed into contention here on Friday with a five-under-par 66. He now leads at the halfway stage of the tournament at six under par, a shot ahead of English duo Todd Clements and Laurie Canter, and two in front of a trio including world number three McIlroy.
The homegrown hero, who has not found much enjoyment as a professional so close to his Belfast home with three missed cuts in Tour events north of the border since 2015, had closed out his opening round with a hat-trick of birdies on Thursday afternoon.
The morning after, McIlroy followed that first-round 68 with a one-under-par 70 to keep pace with the leaders and he will face into Saturday’s third round full of confidence that he has the game to finally make an impact so close to his roots.
“Much better than nine years ago when I was watching the third round on TV,” McIlroy said, referring to his missed cut on the same course in the 2015 Irish Open.“
Happy to be here for the weekend and happy to give myself a chance. It's great to get a couple of good solid rounds under my belt. It's not just a bonus that I'm in contention but just want to go out and try to play with the same attitude and the same patience and that's what this course demands, and if I can do that over the weekend, hopefully I'll have a good shot.”
With Shane Lowry also in the mix following a two-under 69 to move to one under par after 36 holes, there will be plenty for Irish golf fans to be optimistic for this weekend as they hope for a first home champion since McIlroy won at The K Club in Kildare eight years ago.
Yet the scenario could have been gloomier but for some misfortune for an early runaway leader at the outset of the second round. Spain’s Alejandro Del Rey had opened a three-shot lead on the field at eight under par only for a disastrous quadruple-bogey eight at the par-four 15th to send him back into the pack. De Rey had to settle for a level-par 71 to join McIlroy and Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson at four under.
McIlroy, playing alongside fellow Holywood golfer Tom McKibbin and attracting the largest galleries at Royal County Down, had given his supporters plenty to cheer after rebounding from an early bogey at his fifth hole, the par-three 14th, with a birdie at the par-four 15th. The volume increased as he turned for home with an eagle at the par-five first, only to give a shot back at the par-four fifth having found a fairway bunker off the tee.
The four-time major champion looked in further bother at his last of the round, the ninth, when he found right rough off the tee and then missed the green but McIlroy recovered well, almost sank a birdie putt from the fringe of the green and escaped with a par.
He appears to be more at ease at this Irish Open, having taken himself out of the tournament bubble by staying away at the family home in Belfast rather than the official host hotel next to the course. And a welcome pairing with fellow Holywood golfer Tom McKibbin, who made the cut at two over par, has put the 2016 champion further at ease.
“I always play my best when I'm having fun and staying relaxed. It's easy with Tom, Harry (Diamond) on the bag, the three of us go back a long way. It's easy to stay relaxed and have fun. It will probably be a little more difficult over the weekend to stay in that frame of mind but I know that's the frame of mind I do need to stay in.”
Manassero’s round was eventful to say the least, with two eagles, three birdies and two bogeys, the highlight of which was his three at the par-five 12th, where the Italian, 31, sent in a fairway iron from 216 yards out to 13 inches from the pin.
“I played really well. I am so happy how I handled myself in difficult conditions this afternoon,” Manassero said.
“There is not much you can do. You have to hit good shots, and the way the golf course is, you need to start it in the right place with the right trajectory and the right shape. Otherwise, it is just not good enough. So I am really happy with how I played and obviously with the score.”
For all the good vibes accompanying the previously troubled Manassero, whose win in South Africa in March was his first on the European Tour in 11 years, all eyes will remain on McIlroy and Lowry as they return to centre stage at the business end of the tournament on Saturday afternoon.
“It's great,” McIlroy said. “It's always good for a national open for the home guys to be playing well. I saw Shane shot a couple under today. Tom played great, too. Got himself in for the weekend. Not too far out of it either. Always good to have that home interest and it will get the crowd going over the weekend.”
