ANOTHER SUNDAY SLIPPED away for Rory McIlroy. Another round that started in hope ended in crushing disappointment.
In fact it was as good as over at the sixth, when he posted a double bogey seven at the exciting par five where the do-or-die option is there for those who fancy a go across the water.
McIlroy did. His ball sank in the pond. So did his hopes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando. He didn’t just hit it into the water once – but twice.
Rory McIlroy hit two tee shots into the water at No. 6.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 7, 2021
He managed to get up and down from 243 yards for double bogey. pic.twitter.com/9HG1BCPSZu
And then we saw the other side to McIlroy, the fearlessness. Facing humiliation, he got up and down from 243 yards for a double bogey.
His round remained inconsistent, though. Three birdies, five bogeys plus that double bogey saw him drop from seventh to a tie for 10th.
He never got going. A glimmer of hope came on 12, which he birdied but bogeys on 15 and 17 – with a birdie four at the par five 16th appearing as the meat in that sandwich – summed up his day. To think he shared the lead here after round one.
Padraig Harrington finished in a tie for 31st after he also shot a four over round of 76 today.
The spoils went to Bryson DeChambeau who had a titanic battle with Lee Westwood which went all the way to the last – Westwood unfortunate to see his tee shot on 18 land in a fairway divot. He still managed par and put the pressure on DeChambeau.
But the American held his nerve – and his putt – on the 18th to win by one.
