McIlroy, Morikawa battling to make cut in blustery Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy rolled in a 6-foot birdie putt on the final and was set to affix Collin Morikawa in making the minimize on the quantity in a brutal second spherical on the Abu Dhabi Championship that introduced among the world’s greatest golfers to their knees Friday.

Gusts of as much as 40 mph (64 kph) off the shoreline of the Persian Gulf brought on havoc at Yas Hyperlinks, with simply 5 of the 93 gamers who accomplished their spherical taking pictures underneath par in situations sometimes related to the British Open.

Scott Jamieson ended the day the place he began it — within the lead — regardless of a 2-over 74 that was 11 pictures worse than he hit on Thursday. Viktor Hovland remained in second place, nonetheless a stroke off the lead, after additionally taking pictures 74.

As for McIlroy and Morikawa, the 2 star names within the subject, they had been each 3 over for the event and simply glad to be on target to make the weekend.

McIlroy reached the 18th tee beneath the projected minimize and on target to complete a spherical and not using a birdie for the primary time for the reason that 2017 US Open. He prevented that by getting up and down from 43 yards to shoot a 75.

“A putt can change by a cup or extra. It’s simply actually tough,“ he stated. “I can’t keep in mind when it’s been like this right here.”

Morikawa, the world No. 2 and British Open champion, additionally made just one birdie in a spherical of 74.

Tyrrell Hatton, the defending champion in Abu Dhabi, made double-bogey on the final for a 77 and signaled his frustration by utilizing his putter like a gun and taking intention on the cup.

“You’re taking part in defensive on each single shot,” Hovland stated, summing up his spherical. “It was only a actually grinding day.”

The situations aren’t forecast to be so extreme over the weekend, which is able to begin with 38 gamers finishing their second rounds after play was suspended Friday due to darkness.

Thomas Pieters of Belgium performs a shot on the sixteenth gap through the second spherical of the Abu Dhabi Championship golf event on the Yas Hyperlinks Golf Course, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.

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One among them is James Morrison, who was even par after 14 holes of his second spherical and alongside Hovland and Ian Poulter on 6 underneath general.

Halfway by the spherical, officers used electrical leaf-blowers to take away sand strewn throughout greens. Lee Westwood backed off a putt at one stage along with his ball showing to wobble.

“That is the hardest I’ve performed in,” stated Scottish participant Bob MacIntyre, who additionally was more likely to make the minimize on the quantity and in contrast the situations to what he skilled on the British Open at Royal Portrush in 2019, when he tied for sixth on his main debut.

It was not shocking, due to this fact, to see Shane Lowry, the champion that yr at Portrush, dealing with the climate in taking pictures 72 to maneuver right into a share of fifth place.

“I’d want it was calm however I understand how to play in these situations,” Lowry stated. “I give it some thought quite a bit much less and I simply hit the pictures I see. That’s what makes me so good within the wind, I feel. I simply type of play with plenty of really feel.”

For a lot of, it marked a troublesome return to the European tour after a break over the festive interval

“It’s by no means going to be this windy within the offseason, so that you don’t actually go and practise in it,” stated Poulter, who was pleased along with his spherical of 72 that left him tied for second place within the clubhouse with Hovland.

“You understand, you’ve bought to enter the archive and type and of try to keep in mind among the pictures you’ve performed up to now.”

Jamieson stayed in entrance regardless of a wobble halfway by his spherical the place he made two bogeys and three-putted for a double-bogey in a five-hole span.

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