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Rory McIlroy gestures toward an errant drive off the 12th tee. SIPA USA/PA Images

Awful start leaves McIlroy battling to make the cut as Danny Lee implodes

Elsewhere, Padraig Harrington is likely to miss the weekend as Dustin Johnson makes a charge.

RORY MCILROY’S HOPES of a fifth major title are fading fast following a hideous start to his second round at this year’s USPGA Championship at Bethpage Black. 

McIlroy started the day nine shots behind leader Brooks Koepka, having shot a two-over-par 72 on Thursday. He hoped his birdie on the last hole would lead to a change in fortunes today, but the very opposite ensued. 

He started the day with two double bogeys either side of a bogey on 11, his second hole. Going plus-five through his opening trio of holes represents the worst three-hole start to a major championship round in McIlroy’s career. 

He steadied the ship from there, and while he sank a birdie putt on 13, he has yet to claw back enough shots to leave him inside the projected cut.

As he finished his front nine McIlroy found himself plus-seven for the tournament, 14 shots from Keopka and four from the projected cut line. 

New Zealand’s Danny Lee is also struggling on day two, despite shooting a hugely impressive six-under 64 yesterday.

Trailing Koepka by a single shot overnight, Lee blighted his opening seven holes today with two bogeys and back-to-back doubles bogeys on 15 and 16. 

He has, however, birdied two of the first three holes on his back nine to come back under-par for the tournament albeit five shots from the lead and four worse off than he was at the start of play. 

Elsewhere, Dustin Johnson is enjoying a far better day, and five birdies in his opening eight holes has propelled him to second place, two shots from Keopka who tees off later today. 

Padraig Harrington is highly unlikely to make it to the weekend, as four bogeys and a double bogey on his front nine leaves him languishing on 10-over par. 

Gavan Casey, Murray Kinsella and Andy Dunne look at Ireland’s past in Super Rugby, the creative shift needed in Irish rugby and Peter O’Mahony tells us about his love of gardening..:


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