McIlroy dominates in Italy
Rory McIlroy scorched into a commanding five shot lead at the halfway stage of the European Individual Amateur Championship in Italy today.
The 17-year-old Holywood star added a four under par 69 to his opening 65 to lead on 12 under par at Golf Club Biella.
The winner of the event will earn a priceless invite for next year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie - providing he remains amateur.
And McIlroy insisted: “It would be nice to win and I am going quite nicely. But there is still a long way to go so it is too early to start thinking about winning or what it will mean.
“I hit the ball well again today, but it was a pity that I bogeyed my last hole, which was a par-five.”
McIlroy started on the 10th and birdied the 11th and 12th to get to 10 under par before picking up further birdies at the third and seventh.
He was frustrated to bogey the par-five ninth however, where he tugged his five wood approach into a tricky position, bunkered his third and failed to get up and down.
Italian Lorenzo Gagli carded a two under par 71 to trail McIlroy by five shots on seven under with Belgian Hugues Joannes a shot further back in third place after a 69.
Joint overnight leader Damian Ulrich of Switzerland crashed to a three over par 76 to drop into a 10-way tie for fourth place on five under.
Dunmurry’s Darren Crowe was the next best of the Irish in 14th spot on four under after a 72 with Shane Lowry (73) on level par.
Douglas’ Aaron O’Callaghan (76) and Lurgan’s Gareth Shaw (71) were in 49th place on one over par, well inside the top 70 and ties who will make Friday’s 54-hole cut.
