Reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy’s hopes of going back-to-back in majors this year are hanging by a thread after the Northern Irishman only just made the cut at the US PGA
Masters champion Rory McIlroy was forced to change his driver on the eve of this year’s US PGA Championship, it has been claimed. The Northern Irishman is nine shots adrift of leader Jhonattan Vegas at Quail Hollow, but the late change may have impacted his preparations.
McIlroy needs a record-equalling comeback if he is to reel in leader Vegas and win the second major of the year. However, his record at Quail Hollow leaves a glimmer of hope.
According to PGA Tour SiriusXM Radio (via Yahoo Sports, McIlroy’s driver was deemed “no longer permissible”, though it is not believed to be through any fault of the player himself. “Every single week somebody’s driver fails and it is by no fault of the player, they don’t know how to do it – it is a sophisticated testing system,” analyst and former pro Johnson Wagner said, emphasising McIlroy did “nothing wrong”.
McIlroy struggled in the opening round of the second major of the year as he looked to follow up on his victory at the Masters. Round two wasn’t a great deal better, but he was able to card a two under par 69 to scrape through to the weekend.
Venezuelan star Vegas is out in front on -8, two strokes clear of the field. Matt Fitzpatrick is among those tied for second spot, with world No.1 Scottie Scheffler a further shot adrift. McIlroy needs to make up nine shots on Vegas over the final two rounds – something only two men have ever done in majors before.
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As reported by Sky Sports, Bob Rosburg and Bob Tway jointly hold the record for the biggest ever 36-hole comebacks in majors, both overturning nine-stroke deficits. We’ve seen an even bigger comeback in just one round, though, with Paul Lawrie sat 10 adrift of Jean Van de Velde ahead of the final round of the 1999 Open before winning via a play-off.
If McIlroy wants any extra motivation, though, he need only look at his first ever PGA Tour win. It came at the same Quail Hollow course he has been navigating this weekend, and saw him – would you believe it – nine adrift after round two.
Back in 2010, McIlroy was still out for his maiden victory on the PGA Tour, though he’d already won on the European Tour before making the switch in 2009. He found himself one over par after the opening two rounds, but Billu Mayfair led the field on -8.
A 66 in the third round brought the Northern Irishman into contention, but he blew the field away on the Sunday. A sensational final round of 62 saw him finish four strokes clear of nearest challenger Phil Mickelson, and he would subsequently win the exact same event three more times – in 2015, 2021 and 2024.
McIlroy will be in the second pairing out as he looks to lay down a marker this time around. He’s joined by another multiple major winner – reigning US PGA champion Xander Schauffele – with the pair going out at 1.25pm UK time.
Vegas and Mathieu Pavon are the final pair to tee off, at 7.45pm UK time. Scheffler is also in one of the later groups, and kept himself in the hunt as he looks to improve on his runner-up finish from the event back in 2023.
“I didn’t really feel like I made very many good swings today until probably the 14th hole,” Scheffler said after his second round. “And I was able to kind of put some stuff together coming down the stretch. I bounced back really well I felt like most of the day.”
