Rory McIlroy's WGC-HSBC Champions hopes took a huge dent today as he shot a dreadful front nine during his second round.
His first nine holes included a triple bogey, a double bogey and two more bogeys. He recovered in the latter half of his round but remains T58 and sixteen shots off leader Tony Finau.
In what is undoubtedly one of the worst rounds he will card this year, the Shanghai course immediately proved difficult and he found water on the second. A decent drive was followed by a pitch into the water but it got worse from there for the world number five. His chip after the drop-shot rolled back down into the water.
Golf is hard ... even for the best.
Triple bogey for Rory McIlroy. pic.twitter.com/bSWNhZI1yI
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 26, 2018
He managed to stem the tide on the ninth, and claw it back to +4.
It's not been @McIlroyRory's day, but that'll sure help.#WGCHSBCChampions pic.twitter.com/wVbhZ9Ea99
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 26, 2018
Yet after stringing together a run of birdies, further bogeys to close the round saw him card a 77.
