Golf Post

Early clue: Unlike Pinehurst, when he gambled away his almost certain US Open win, Rory McIlroy didn’t run away yesterday. Even though the Northern Irishman couldn’t cope with the wind on the second day either, missing fairways and greens at Royal Troon in a row and delivering the worst 36-hole score at an Open for eleven years with 11 over par. Nevertheless, he answered the media’s questions afterwards in an almost tidy manner and said that he was sure of a free weekend relatively early on in round two.

The Open Championship 2024: “22 holes and I’m thinking about where I’m going to go on vacation”

“Obviously got off to the worst start possible today, being 6-over through six. But then played the last 12 holes pretty well, bogey-free. The wind got the better of me on Friday at Augusta, and then the wind got the better of me the last two days here”, McIlroy analyzed after his second round at The Open Championship 2024. As a result, the world number two was already thinking about his vacation plans after the major quite early on: “Yeah, I think once I made the 8 on the 4th hole, that was it. 22 holes into the event and I’m thinking about where I’m going to go on vacation next week. Yeah, that was basically it. I mean, I knew from then I’d sort of resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to shoot, whatever it is, 4- or 5-under from there on in to make the cut.”

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On August 1, McIlroy will represent the Irish colors together with Shane Lowry at the Olympic golf tournament at Le Golf National near Paris. Meanwhile, his ex-manager Chubby Chandler is apparently in need of headlines again and has come forward with speculation that McIlroy’s chaotic private life, including his recently revealed marital problems, are to blame for the 35-year-old’s major misery. At least not everyone is pointing the finger at caddie Harry Diamond again.

Scottie Scheffler played with a handicap yesterday at The Open Championship 2024. His caddie Ted Scott had to take repeated time-outs during the second round and then lay on the floor several times with a pained face while the world number one did his job without Scott’s active support. Even Shane Lowry and Matt Fitzpatrick, who were playing ahead of Scheffler in the group, noticed this and enquired about Scott’s condition.

The Open Championship 2024 – Scheffler About Scott: “He’s a figther”

After the round, Scheffler confirmed that his bag man had severe stomach problems. “Yeah, he had a bit of food poisoning last night — well, could have been food poisoning, could be some sort of stomach bug. But he seemed to feel better as the day went on. The doc here took good care of him. But he did not sleep very much last night apparently.,” reported the two-time Masters champion. “We didn’t know if he was going to be able to go this morning, but he fought it out. You saw him laying down probably quite a bit out there, which was pretty funny. He’s a fighter. He did a good job today and battled through it.”

My man is hurting pic.twitter.com/JQyGcDUbj4

— Brody Miller (@BrodyAMiller) July 19, 2024

Despite the restrictions due to Ted Scott’s illness, Scottie Scheffler once again played a good round of 70 and is tied for fourth place. On the Moving Day of The Open Championship 2024, the world number one has the best chance of continuing to put pressure on the leader Shane Lowry.

The Open Championship 2024, the last Major of the year, is currently taking place at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland. The tournament features a total prize fund of $17,000,000. This event has reached its third round, with players aiming for the coveted title.

After the second round, Shane Lowry of Ireland holds the top position with a total score of 135, seven strokes under par. Tied for second place are Daniel Brown from England and Justin Rose, also from England, both with a total score of 137, five strokes under par. In a three-way tie for fourth place are American Billy Horschel, South African Dean Burmester, and another American, Scottie Scheffler, each with a total score of 140, two strokes under par.

The second round saw some notable performances, with the best rounds played by players Shane Lowry, Daniel Brown, and Justin Rose, each finishing their round with a daily score of 67. This strong performance has helped them climb to the top positions on the leaderboard.

A video showcasing the Highlights of The Open Championship 2024 for the second round has been released, featuring key moments and significant plays from the round.

The tournament concludes today with Shane Lowry leading, followed closely by Daniel Brown and Justin Rose. As the final round progresses, the competition remains intense, with players aiming to secure the championship title and a share of the $17,000,000 prize fund. The final results and the winner will be determined at the end of the fourth round.

The Open Championship 2024: Round 2 Highlights

About the European Tour

The DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) is the largest European professional golf tour. With 45 events, the tour’s tournament calendar is packed with highlights. In addition to the majors, the DP World Tour organizes other co-sanctioned events with the PGA Tour. The European tour is also a guest in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, hosting at least one tournament in a total of 25 countries. The prize money on the DP World Tour is lower than on its American sister tour, but with the basic salary introduced in 2023, players who have played at least 15 tournaments will receive at least 150,000 dollars. The season finale of the overall earnings ranking, the “Race to Dubai“, will be held in a play-off format after five “Global Swings” and the “Back 9”. The final DP World Tour Championship will determine the winner of the season in Dubai in November.

Rory McIlroy continues to collect negative records instead of majors. His opening round of 78 (+7) at Royal Troon marked his worst major round since his 79 at the start of Royal Portrush in 2019. Even worse, the Northern Irishman ranked only 130th in the “Strokes Gained” category, on a course that demands the utmost precision. “I didn’t do my job well enough,” McIlroy admitted with some regret yesterday. “My new goal at this Open Championship can only be to go out today and somehow make the cut.”

Since his problems yesterday began on the infamous eighth hole, a closer look at the Postage Stamp is warranted, especially considering McIlroy’s double bogey made him one of its notable victims.

The Challenge of The Open Championship 2024: The Postage Stamp

The Postage Stamp, a mere 123-yard par-3, has always been a highlight of Royal Troon, a course that earned its royal designation in 1978, 100 years after its founding. Despite its short length, this hole has claimed many professional scalps over the years. Designed by Willie Fernie in 1881 and named after the distant Ailsa Rock, it was Willie Park Jr., a two-time Champion Golfer, who famously dubbed it the “Postage Stamp” due to its tiny 245-square-meter green.

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Rory McIlroy’s struggles on the Postage Stamp stand out, especially given his stature in the golfing world. His double bogey there contributed significantly to his dismal opening round. “I need to be more precise, especially on holes like the eighth,” McIlroy reflected. The small green and the surrounding bunkers make the Postage Stamp a hole where precision and calm under pressure are paramount. In addition to the Northern Irishman, the difficult hole claimed other victims. Major winners Colin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark also recorded double bogeys and Tiger Woods and Ludvig Aberg each had to accept a bogey. However, the Postage Stamp can also reward precision. Yesterday, Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay demonstrated how to navigate this tricky par-3 successfully.

Despite—or perhaps because of—its unpredictability, the Postage Stamp remains a favorite among many professionals. It encapsulates the essence of links golf: challenging, strategic, and at times, unforgiving. For McIlroy, it was a reminder of the thin line between success and failure at the highest level.

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