The Irish Golf Club Gazette

5/25/2013

McGinley Impressed by Lowry

Getty Images

Shane Lowry enhanced his reputation after a second-round 71 at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Friday earning a share of eighth place on three-under with Ernie Els, Lee Westwood.

"I believe the weather's supposed to be a bit decent tomorrow," said Lowry, after the toughest day Wentworth veterans Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke can recall on Surrey's famous Burma Road.

Francesco Molinari grabbed the 36-hole lead with a round of 68.

"I love this golf course and feel like it suits me," said the Clara man, who tied fourth at Wentworth in 2011. "I feel like I can play well around here, so there's no reason I can't contend."

Rory McIlroy's on the other hand struggled to explain the reason why he's struggled on the West Course since it was extensively revamped by Els four years ago.

"I was talking to G-Mac about it," said McIlroy after he and playing companion McDowell had signed for the 75s which left them three shots beyond the cut line on five-over. "His best finish around here is tied 13th and mine's fifth," McIlroy added. "And when I had the fifth place, it was before the changes were made."

On Thursday McIlroy played the opening 12 holes of this championship in three-under.

Yet the complexion of his tournament changed with the weather as McIlroy made five bogeys in the final six holes of his first round.

"I'm definitely looking forward to getting back into some golf where I'm not playing in four layers," said the Holywood native.

"It's the same for everyone out there, and that's not really an excuse," added McIlroy. "I just didn't play well. In these conditions, I try to do too much with the ball sometimes and start to hit bad shots, which obviously cost me."

McDowell found a little consolation at once again failing to make the weekend on a course which plainly doesn't suit him by referring to his recent sequence of results, which include a missed cut at the Masters, victory at Heritage, missed cut at Sawgrass, victory at the Volvo World Match Play.

"What's my next event," he asked, adding wryly: "The US Open ... yep, couldn't have asked for better preparation! You know, I'd take missed cut every time if it always was followed by a win. Mind you, I really would've liked to play this weekend. This is a great event."

After playing just four events so far in an injury-hit year, Clarke's pleasure at showing all his craft in the wind and, for a change, holing a few putts was palpable after the accomplished two-under-par 70 which sent him through halfway in a tie for 28th on even-par.

Ryder Cup captain McGinley carded a second round 75, and still made the cut on two-over par.

McGinley played with Lowry and plainly was impressed. "Shane was very good. He had to battle on the front nine and then played really well, making up a lot of ground with four birdies into the teeth of the wind on those last six holes. He really is a fine player."

BMW Over for R-MAC and G-MAC

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy was one of five 2012 European Ryder Cup players to miss the cut Friday in the BMW PGA Championship, while Medinah teammate Francesco Molinari took the lead at cold and wet Wentworth.

The second-ranked McIlroy had a 3-over 75 to finish at 5 over. Two-time defending champion Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell and Paul Lawrie -- all members of Europe's winning team last year at Medinah -- also dropped out early. Molinari put himself in position for his fourth European Tour title, shooting a 68 to take a one-stroke lead at 6 under.

"I am really happy with my two days and while the conditions were quite tough, I'm hitting the ball well off the tee, and the putter is also working well," the Italian said.

South Africa's George Coetzee, Scotland's Marc Warren, England's Mark Foster and Spain's Alejandro Canizares were tied for second. Foster had a 69, and Coetzee, Warren and Canizares shot 70.

Sergio Garcia was five strokes back after a 71.

McIlroy hit only four fairways in the second round, a roller-coaster front nine of four birdies but also five bogeys. He parred the next seven holes, made a double bogey on the 17th after driving out of bounds, and closed with a two-putt birdie.

"It was just a tough day and I didn't get off to the best start to be 2 over through three," said McIlroy, who also missed the cut last year. "I did manage a couple of birdies to get back to level but it was a grind. I was missing a lot of greens and couldn't really give myself many chances to make any shots back and obviously try to get into the weekend."

McIlroy was undecided as to whether to travel to Paris to see his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki prepare for the French Open or travel to Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix auto race.

Donald had a 72 to finish at 6 over.

"Even for England this weather is pretty unseasonal and it made the course play very tough because the last couple of years it's been very warm and the ball has travelled a lot," Donald said. "I was 9 over through 21 holes playing pretty terrible golf, really."

Poulter was 8 over after a 76.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," Poulter said. "Don't worry about me as I will be posting some good scores again, soon."

Lawrie was 3 over after a 72, and McDowell 5 over after a 75. In his last five events, McDowell missed the cut in the Masters, won the RBC Heritage, missed the cut in THE PLAYERS Championship, won the Volvo Match Play Championship and missed cut in the BMW PGA.

"My next tournament is the U.S. Open and I would say my preparation is perfect," he said, laughing.

5/23/2013

Two Mac's Misfire at BMW

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy's hopes of a fast start in the BMW PGA Championship were wrecked by five bogeys in his final six holes.

The 24-year-old Northern Irishman looked set to be making a challenge for the lead at the European Tour's flagship event when he played his first 12 holes in three-under par.

But in unseasonally cold weather at Wentworth the world number two made a series of late blunders to finish with a two-over 74 - eight behind clubhouse leader James Kingston of South Africa.

"It was one of those rounds I let slip through my fingers," McIlroy told reporters after finishing with bogey sixes at the 17th and 18th.

"It could have been something good and I could have been near the top of the leaderboard but instead I am where I am."

On a tough day for scoring on the tough 7,302-year West Course, McIlroy admitted his struggled in the cold temperatures and gusting winds.

"The thing that gets me is the cold and I was wearing mittens all day.

"Your body just doesn't feel the way it usually does and we are so used to playing in warm conditions these days. This is a little bit of a change," said McIlroy who is now based in American and plays the majority of his events on the PGA Tour.

"I hit a couple of loose tee shots on 13 and 17, three-putted 14 and then got a bit unlucky on 18 when my tee shot went through the fairway a little too far and into the bushes."

"I didn't really miss a shot for the first 12 holes and I feel that just now I'm not getting as much out of my rounds as I should do," he said.

"Maybe it's just a matter of not letting the bad shots affect me as much. I don't know what I can put it down to."

McIlroy's playing partner and close friend Graeme McDowell also had to settle for a two-over 74 after racking up a double bogey at the last.

"I don't play this course well," said the Northern Irishman who won last week's World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria. "It needs to be sort of fiery for me to have a chance.

"I find it kind of long and a bit of a slog really. It's a tough course and I knew anything around par today would have been a good effort."

"My ball-striking wasn't bad and I putted all right but let's be honest the greens are slow," he explained. "It's been tough to get them up to speed.

"It's a standard Wentworth performance for me unfortunately. It's not really my happiest hunting ground.

"I only made one birdie today and that's not really good enough. I feel a bit beaten up right now."

5/22/2013

No News on Horizon - McIlroy

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy was on unable to clarify reports that he is leaving Horizon Sports Management to create his own management group, but revealed he has cleared the air with Graeme McDowell.

McIlroy denied speculation at the Players Championship that he would create his own team with his father, close friends and associates, but McDowell said during the World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria that the world number two had decided on his second management change since October 2011.

The 24-year-old left International Sports Management just four months after winning his first major by eight shots in the US Open at Congressional, joining his good friend McDowell at Horizon. McIlroy told a press conference ahead of the BMW PGA Championship: "I'm here to try and stay on point and talk about golf. I can't really comment on speculation at this point."

He added: "Obviously you guys know that something's up. That's fair enough. But at this point I can't really say much more."

Asked about his apparent annoyance with McDowell - "Ask G-Mac. He knows more than me" he said to reporters on Tuesday - McIlroy added: "I spoke to Graeme yesterday afternoon. We got back to the hotel and we just had a chat. Everything's good.

"I'm great friends with Graeme. He's been a real big brother to me on Tour. I remember playing practise rounds with him at the Dunhill Links, for example, back in 2007 when I got my card.

"He really showed me the ropes out here for a couple years and it's great to have good friends on Tour and he's obviously somebody that I consider a very good friend."

McIlroy was less forthcoming when pressed to explain a comment he made in an interview with Sky Sports, when he was asked if he had been frustrated by the speculation and replied: "No, not at all. Someone very smart said to me a couple of weeks ago, if you want to be in the circus, you have to put up with the clowns."

Pushed to explain who he was referring to, McIlroy said: "I thought it was quite a good comment. Just think about it."

McIlroy's European Delight

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy is delighted to be back in Europe where he starts this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth as one of the favourites to win the prestigious tournament.

With the eventual champion collecting a €791,660 cheque on Sunday, the world No 2 says the famed West Course is looking good.

The 24-year-old Ulsterman said: "I like the course. Greens are in great condition and so are the fairways.

"It's always exciting to come back to Wentworth every year. There's always a good buzz here and the event always attracts a great depth of talent."

As for his own chances, McIlroy says his game is coming to the boil at the right time.

He added: "I've had a slow start to the season but the last few weeks have been promising and I feel I am playing well.

"I've had a few top 10s and had a great chance to win in Texas, the week before the Masters."

With regards to the decision by the R&A and the United States Golf Association to ban long putters, McIlroy added: "I've generally sat on the fence with these putters as it doesn't affect me.

"But clubs should be swung not anchored so I think it's a good thing - in the best spirit of the game."

A number of recent Major champions have used these types of putters, namely: Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley.

And McIlroy's compatriot Graeme McDowell says he is delighted with the proposed change that would come into effect in 2016 calling it "the right call."