Jon Rahm just one off the lead at Irish Open as Rory McIlroy bows out
Sunday 9 July 2017 00:15, UK
Jon Rahm continued to enhance his reputation as the brightest prospect in golf as Rory McIlroy disappointed his home fans with another early exit at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
Rahm again upstaged his playing partner and tournament host and will head into the weekend at Portstewart just one shot off the lead after a second-round 67, while overnight leaders Benjamin Hebert and Daniel Im remained tied at the top on 13 under par.
But McIlroy bowed out at the halfway stage for the fourth time in five years and was again let down by "silly mistakes" with his short-game in an error-strewn one-over 73 which proved four strokes too many to compete for another 36 holes.
In contrast, Rahm's all-round game looked in fine order despite his lack of links golf experience, while English pair Matthew Southgate and Oli Fisher both fired composed 68s to remain firmly in contention on 11 under par.
Rahm made a confident start with a birdie at the 10th, and he responded to a bogey at 12 with a superb eagle with a long-range putt at the 14th and followed that with a birdie at the next before another at 18 completed a back-nine 32.
The big-hitting Spaniard offset a bogey at the first with a birdie at the second and, after he made a mess of the long fourth, he rolled in further birdie putts at the fifth and seventh and parred in to stay at 12 under.
"It was a little windier and a little colder today for the first few holes which always makes it a little harder," Rahm said. "But I was able to adjust, and starting the way I started with two perfect shots to two feet for birdie, it kind of gives me a lot of confidence. And then hang on till that putt on 14 and making that bomb for eagle really got me going.
"I'm extremely happy with how I've played, how I've thought around the golf course and how I've been able to make some putts and stay patient. I'm really proud of what I've been doing and hopefully I can keep doing it."
Hebert and Im continued to lead the way as both followed up their opening 64's with 67s, while Fisher made a late dash up the leaderboard with four birdies in six holes to move to 11 under alongside Southgate, who had an eagle and three birdies in his 68 and completed 36 holes without a single bogey on his card.
Fisher and Southgate were joined in a share of fourth by New Zealander Ryan Fox, son of All Blacks legend Grant Fox, while world No 2 Hideki Matsuyama finished with a flourish as four birdies over his last five holes earned him a 68 and took him to nine under with Anthony Wall, David Drysdale and his fellow Japanese star Hideto Tanihara.
Justin Rose staged a good recovery from two bogeys in five holes as he eagled the seventh and picked up further shots at nine and 14 to return a battling 70 which lifted him to seven under with Padraig Harrington and the in-form Tommy Fleetwood, who carded six birdies and just one bogey in an impressive 67.
Ian Poulter and Matt Fitzpatrick are a further stroke adrift, but the tournament lost its host and defending champion as McIlroy's short-game struggles showed little signs of improvement in good conditions for scoring.
Needing to break 70 to make the cut, McIlroy made three birdies against two bogeys on the back nine and took advantage of the long fourth to get to two under with five holes to play.
But the world No 3 bogeyed the short sixth for the second day running, and his chances of making the weekend ended at the eighth when his wedge approach from the rough came up short and he took four more to get down.
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