McIlroy Defence Suffers in Sydney

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Rory McIlroy's defence of his Emirates Australian Open title - to join Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Greg Norman as the only players to win back-to-back opens - took a enormous jolt today after a round of 76.

The Northern Irishman, who was tied at the top of the leaderboard with Rod Pampling, American Jordan Spieth, Brett Rumford and Greg Chalmers as he played the ninth of the third round, blocked his drive in the thick fescue grass on the right side of the fairway.

He could have declared his ball unplayable, but he attempted the possible of a challenge that looked impossible. 

An enormous swipe at the ball failed to dislodge, in fact, it became even deeper in the mulga.

Then, he finally took his medicine and took a two club-length penalty drop. It didn’t give him full relief off the wood chip surround of the fescue but he got it back into play.

So, four shots (one a penalty) already played. 

His next shot, a wedge from 60 metres, found the green about six metres from the pin. He two-putted for a triple bogey seven.

Suddenly, inexplicably, he was three shots off the lead. It is understood rules officials will review the incident before a triple bogey is confirmed.

Scott picked up two shots on the front nine to be four-under-par for the championship, just one behind Spieth and Pampling, who holed out for a spectacular eagle two at the par-4 10th.

Spieth collected back-to-back birdies early in his round to lead for much of his front nine before Pampling joined him with his pinpoint wedge.

After starting moving day three behind Chalmers, Scott bookended his front nine with birdies to close to within one of the lead, while McIlroy was slower to get going.

The defending champion was unable to get up and down after hitting over the green on the tough par-3 fourth hole, but bounced back with a birdie on the par-4 fifth after almost holing his sand shot for an eagle.

Conditions at The Australian Golf Club were more difficult on Saturday, with blustery winds proving troublesome.

The biggest movers came from the morning wave, with Daniel Nisbet charging up the leaderboard into equal 12th position at even par for the championship with a bogey-free four-under 67.

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McIlroy Stays In Mix Down Under

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Rory McIlroy stayed bang in contention and Adam Scott made a big move on the second day of the Emirates Australian Open.

McIlroy sits tied for second behind halfway leader Greg Chalmers at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney but it was Scott who made the headlines after a poor start to the tournament on Thursday.

The world No 3 carded three birdies and an eagle in his round of 66 and that was enough to move him into a tie for ninth, just three shots off the pace being set by left-hander Chalmers.

"Yesterday I got off to a bad start, and I didn't scramble well when I had to and it started to get away from me," Scott said. "Today a couple of good shots coming up 14 and I made an eagle and momentum is on your side."

Chalmers, a dual winner of the event, also shot a second-round 66 which mixed in a couple of dropped shots with seven birdies and was just one worse than the best round of the day, a 65 from American Jamie Lovemark.

McIlroy played in tougher conditions in the afternoon group, and he had more than his share of problems in shooting a topsy-turvy round of 69.

The Open champion had three bogeys in his first seven holes and dropped three more shots on the way back to the clubhouse, but three birdies and an eagle in his last five saved the day.

"I felt like I had an opportunity today to maybe shoot a good one and put a little bit of space between myself and the rest of the field, but it didn't really pan out that way," said McIlroy, who twice found the water on his way around.

He sits in a four-way tie for second on four-under alongside Australia's Adam Crawford, Conrad Shindler from the Unitd States and home amateur Todd Sinnott, who was one of the day's stars with a round of 67.

First-round leader Jordan Spieth, who was in the same group as Scott, failed to take advantage of the better scoring conditions in a round of 72 that leaves him in a tie for sixth, one shot ahead of his playing partner - he had four bogeys and only saved his day with birdies at his final two holes.

"It was a struggle, big-time struggle," Spieth said. "I wasn't hitting it well. If I wasn't putting well I may have shot 45 on the back nine."

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Poulter Backs Clarke Captaincy

Ian Poulter has backed Darren Clarke to become Europe’s next Ryder Cup captain.

The decision on Paul McGinley’s successor at Hazeltine in 2016 will be made in January and Clarke is among the favourites for the job.

Poulter, who has played in the Ryder Cup five times with his fourth win coming at Gleneagles in September, believes Clarke would be a ‘worthy’ choice.

“There are lots of people that could potentially be the captain. When you look at the next one being in Hazeltine in America, it’s very much looking like Darren Clarke will be running as a strong favourite. He has got a great relationship with the players and he would be a very worthy captain.”

Poulter admits that he would relish the role — but not in the immediate future.

He told BBC Sport: “Hopefully, I’ve got another 10 years in me before I ever get asked. If I was ever asked to be captain then yes, I’d love it.”

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McIlroy Opens in Sydney 2 Under

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Rory McIlroy's defense of his Australian Open title began with a 2-under 69 on a cool, overcast and often drizzly morning at The Australian Golf Club.

McIlroy, winner of back-to-back majors this year at the the Open Championship and PGA Championship, began play on the back nine and made the turn at even-par after a birdie and a bogey. He birdied the first hole of his second nine, added another at the par-5 fifth, but made bogey on the seventh.

He finished strongly, hitting his approach on the ninth to less than 2 feet and making an easy birdie. McIlroy was a stroke behind Australian Aron Price, who was the best of the morning groupings with a 68.

It was a day that almost made him feel at home, McIlroy said.

"It was cold, windy and a little bit of rain here and there," explained the Northern Irishman. "When I think of playing golf in Australia, it's not the kind of day I expected."

McIlroy said the wind was tricky and predicted it could get tougher for the afternoon starters.

"The wind was up early on, then it died, then got up again," he said.

McIlroy missed a 10-foot putt for birdie on the 12th hole -- his third of the day after starting on the back nine -- and fought to save par on the 13th after putting his approach through the green.

He birdied the short par-5 14th after a bunker shot to three feet, but gave the shot back on the next hole after a poor shot out of the sand on the par-3 15th on the revamped Jack Nicklaus layout.

"Three birdies on the back nine, a nice one at the end," he said. "I'll take anything in the 60s. I thought was a good score and puts me right there for tomorrow."

Adam Scott, who finished second in last year's tournament at Royal Sydney when McIlroy birdied the 18th hole of the final round, was in an afternoon group that included American Jordan Spieth.

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McIlroy Shortlisted for BBC SPOTY

Rory McIlroy is a strong favourite to round off the most successful spell of his career with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after being confirmed among the 10 shortlisted contenders on Monday.

McIlroy, who won the final two majors of the year as well as helping Europe retain the Ryder Cup, will bid to become the first golfer to win the prestigious award since Nick Faldo in 1989.

But McIlroy could face a stern challenge from Lewis Hamilton, who claimed his second Formula One world title in Abu Dhabi at the weekend and finished second in the voting in both 2007 and 2008.

The winner of the award will be announced at the culmination of the live show on December 14 at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow, following a public vote.

But Scottish fans will have no local favourite to support after last year's winner Andy Murray was left off the final contenders following a year in which he failed to add to his twocareer grand slam titles.

Gareth Bale is the only footballer to make the cut after an impressive first season with Real Madrid, while boxer Carl Froch also earns a place after his conclusive Wembley rematch win over George Groves.

Olympic and World Cup skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold is joined by skiers Kelly Gallagher and guide Charlotte Evans, who were crowned Great Britain's first Winter Paralympic champions when they won the women's visually-impaired Super G in Sochi in March.

Charlotte Dujardin, who picked up two dressage world titles this year, and Jo Pavey, whose 10,000m gold in Zurich made her the oldest female European champion in history at the age of 40 and 325 days, take the total list of female contenders to four.

The list is completed by gymnast Max Whitlock, who won world, European and Commonwealth medals in 2014, and swimmer Adam Peaty, who won four European titles and two Commonwealth Games golds.

The shortlist was decided by a panel of former nominees, newspaper sports editors and television sport executives.

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