RORY MCILROY’S PREPARATIONS for the Masters received a setback as he missed his first cut in nine months but Padraig Harrington has stormed into the lead at the Honda Classic in Florida.
Harrington shot a four-under par 66 to take a one-shot lead over Patrick Reed into the third round but his advantage could have more but for a bogey-bogey finish.
The Dubliner was four shots adrift when the second round was suspended on Friday evening due to darkness but upon the resumption, made a storming start as he recorded successive birdies before four more came after the turn.
However, a poor finish reduced his lead ahead of this evening’s third round.
“At times I get lost and distracted from the process,” Harrington said. “Ultimately that’s what has changed. I had it going out there for a while. I was struggling with it the last couple of holes.”
Harrington has slid down to 297th in the world rankings and is playing this week on a sponsor’s exemption.
While Reed, who won the Tournament of Champions in January and defends his World Golf Championships title at Doral next week, is his closest challenger, there is a star-studded field in close pursuit.
McIlroy is not one of them, however. The Ulsterman could only manage a second round 74 as he finished three shots above the cut line of four over par. Graeme McDowell also missed the cut.
