North Berwick, July 13: In a familiar tale of frustration, Rory McIlroy’s putter woes resurfaced during the second round of the Scottish Open. The defending champion, back in action following a close miss at the US Open, carded a 66 to follow his promising opening 65 at the Renaissance Club.
McIlroy, briefly holding a two-shot lead with five holes remaining at Pinehurst last month, faltered with bogeys on three of the final four holes, including a critical miss from close range on the 16th. His struggles continued at the Scottish Open, where he missed a birdie putt from a similar distance on the 16th and a nine-footer on the next hole, trailing Ludvig Åberg, his Ryder Cup teammate, by three shots.
Reflecting on his performance, McIlroy lamented missed opportunities on the 14th and 17th holes, expressing confidence despite falling short of Åberg’s pace.
“I feel like I should be closer to Ludvig’s score or even better over the last couple of days,” McIlroy noted. “Hopefully, I can string it all together over the weekend. With some players posting low scores today, shooting in the low 60s, it’s clear what it will take to contend this weekend.”
McIlroy remains optimistic about his position heading into the weekend, aiming to capitalize on his current standing in the tournament mix.