McIlroy makes impression at Wentworth
Rory McIlroy blamed a gust of wind for a disappointing finish to what might have been the round of the day at Wentworth.
A birdie on the last hole of his second round had enabled the 22-year-old world number six to survive the halfway cut with nothing to spare at the BMW PGA Championship.
But on his return to the hole McIlroy’s five-wood approach found the controversial stream in front of the green.
After four earlier birdies a bogey six meant a three under par 68 and one over total – seven behind overnight leaders Luke Donald, Alvaro Quiros and Matteo Manassero, who had yet to tee off again.
“I hit it really well, but the wind came back into my face as soon as I hit it,” said the Northern Irishman, trying to battle back from an opening 76 that had left him 12 shots adrift of Donald.
“I played a really good round and am very disappointed with the last, but a 68 in these conditions was a pretty good score.
“I don’t know who set the course up, but some of the pin placings were just brutal. I don’t know what they were thinking – people want to see us making birdies and hitting it close.”
Welshman Rhys Davies improved from two over to one under, but then double-bogeyed the ninth, while playing partner Colin Montgomerie mixed two birdies with two bogeys on the outward half to remain two over.
Paul Casey, who joined Ian Poulter yesterday in criticising some of the changes to the course, was paired with Ernie Els, the man Wentworth employed to do them.
Els had hit back after his second round, but neither was able to make a move up the leaderboard in the early stages. After five holes they also stood two over.
As well as being in the hunt for the title Donald was also in position to take the world number one spot off Lee Westwood.
With third-ranked Martin Kaymer three over with three to play it was a straight head-to-head between the two Englishmen and Westwood’s birdie at the short second lifted him into joint eighth on two under.
Donald was relieved to be still sharing the lead leaving the opening hole.
He needed an eight-foot par putt to remain six under, then Quiros wasted a glorious long-iron approach by missing from four feet.
In the group ahead Manassero had drive into sand and bogeyed, while Westwood made his presence felt more when he came back from a bogey on the third with two more birdies in the next three.
He was up to fifth place on three under.
