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McIlroy (16-under) takes 6 shot lead at The Open

Published

11 years ago

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Ivor Robson has the afternoon off. The sweet-tenored announcer who hasn’t taken a bathroom break in 37 years of presentations, who has spawned an unending and indelible line of imitators, was reduced to introducing merely half the field on Saturday, thanks to an impending line of thunderstorms that never truly arrived.

The latter 36 golfers went off the 10th tee while their more fortunate competitors went off the first hole. Robson suggested that he might go and simply watch some golf. With hope, he watched the final three holes of Rory McIlroy, who finished eagle-bogey-eagle to dispel early concern and carry a six-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round.

Pundits across the globe tweeted “it’s anyone’s game now” and “we’ve got a golf tournament” when halfway-medalist Rory McIlroy bogeyed the opening hole with wedge in, while playing partner Dustin Johnson made birdie from three feet. AS IF! As if someone from the Peloton wasn’t going to make a run at the breakaway soloist.

McIlroy’s playing partner never found his swing enough to make a run and three mid-round bogeys derailed his train to the top. From the get-go, the hirsute Rickie Fowler made the strongest runs at the leader. Fowler had four birdies on the front side against one bogey to close his gap, then snatched another at the 10th hole to get within two shots at 10-under-par.

Darren Clarke proved that a low number could be copped as he posted six birdies en route to a 5-under score of 67. Five minutes later, Fowler tacked on his sixth birdie of the day to reach 11-under, one shot behind the buoyant McIlroy. Then Rory, then Rickie and Rickie again! It was as if Clement Clarke Moore turned his attention away from A Visit From St. Nicholas for a moment: On Darren, On Sergio, On Rory, On Rickie! When McIlroy failed to get up and down for par on No. 12, the two were tied atop the leaderboard.

Just when it seemed that Fowler was trending on more than Twitter, along came the 14th hole. A bad drive forced the Californian to lay up and he could not avoid bogey. In the next pairing, McIlroy knocked down a 12-foot birdie putt to reclaim his two-stroke advantage. Two holes later, Fowler made an unforgiveable bogey on the par five, then could not fail to hear the roars as McIlroy reached the green in two and converted his eagle putt. Just like that, the separation was five strokes between Rory McIlroy and the duo of Fowler and Sergio Garcia.

Let it not be said that McIlroy lacks compassion. Without doubt, he knew that Fowler and Garcia had bogeyed No. 17 up ahead. Demonstrating great solidarity, McIlroy mucked the hole up as well, making bogey five to preserve a five-stroke lead. Birdie on No. 18 for Fowler ensured that he would be paired with McIlroy in Round 4. Sergio Garcia could only muster a par at the last, cementing a spot in the penultimate Sunday group.

The difference for most of this day was Fowler’s ability to combine stellar approach play with strong putting. McIlroy’s iron game was not as accurate, but his putter made up for those shortcomings. Just as it will be difficult for Fowler to replicate his Saturday stealth on Sunday, so will it be challenging for McIlroy to depend on his flat stick to save his hide. It had to be troubling for Fowler to watch his driving game fall apart late. Missed fairways led to bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16, dropping him three strokes behind the patient McIlroy.

Among the top 10, Victor Dubuisson kept alive actor Will Ferrell’s improbable prediction that a Frenchman would win with a birdie at the last for 68 on the day and 8-under over three rounds. For other challengers, it was a moving day that might have been. After a three-birdie run on the front, Charl Schwartzel cooled off with three bogeys over his subsequent seven holes. Similarly, Mateo Manassero’s dissociative, opening seven holes consisted of three bogies and four birdies. The young Italian closed with three birdies over the final four holes to position himself with Schwartzel for a possible Sunday run.

Let’s not kid ourselves, however. Sunday should be a coronation of Rory McIlroy as The Open Champion of 2014. It should represent the third leg of the Grand Slam for the young man from Holywood.

Despite Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia’s best efforts, they ran into a dynamo not seen since Martin Kaymer ran away with the U.S. Open… and Bubba Watson, the Masters. Seems to be the theme for the major championships of 2014.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

32 Comments

32 Comments

  1. David

    Jul 20, 2014 at 9:49 am

    What a joke Not so Royal Liverpool is, may as well play a pitch and putt course.

    This is a disgrace, par is supposed to be a great score in a Major.

    Reply Report comment

    • Ronald Montesano

      Jul 31, 2014 at 6:44 am

      Where is this written?

      Isn’t a great champion supposed to be a great score in a major?

      Not a known one necessarily, but one who manages conditions of course and beyond to succeed past all others.

      Reply Report comment

  2. R&A

    Jul 20, 2014 at 4:02 am

    Oh no, someone noticed that we rigged it for Rory. What do we do now?

    Reply Report comment

  3. tigerfanman

    Jul 19, 2014 at 4:40 pm

    In an unprecedented move, The Open championship has decided that the highest score wins. Tiger is in contention and Rory is 19 shots back.

    Reply Report comment

  4. Straightdriver235

    Jul 19, 2014 at 4:32 pm

    Perhaps a Frenchman will win, but the R&A is really trying to help “Roy McAvoy” to win this one. The fix is in with this first time ever off early to avoid bad weather excuse. The Frenchman would be about 5 shots closer had everyone played as they are supposed to. What’s next, lift clean and place, or a mud ball rule because the course is too soft and Roy hits it too high? If McAvoy wins, it will deserve an asterisk, which means the R&A fixed it for him with a gifted tee times.

    Reply Report comment

    • Mike

      Jul 19, 2014 at 6:17 pm

      Conspiracy theorist much? Sounds like something the yanks would do for one of their own to win a tournament…

      Reply Report comment

      • Straightdriver235

        Jul 19, 2014 at 7:35 pm

        In the end we will likely hear how dominant Roy was and how he deserved this, etc. and it will be forgotten that he was gifted with incredible tee times and rule changes all week to keep his “delicate” momentum and mental state going. Didn’t they play the open lift clean and place, and slow because of all the rain he won? He can play, but he needs outside help to keep it going for four round. He’s gotten it here. He’s the one they want to win… they are tired of Hamiltons, Leonards, Lawries, and Curtises hoisting the jug.

        Reply Report comment

        • MHendon

          Jul 20, 2014 at 11:09 am

          I guess they’re tired of Els, Mickelsons, and Woods hoisting the jug too. It there was any reason other than the weather for the early start and opposite tee’s. It would be to get Tiger in some of the coverage, not to help Rory!

          Reply Report comment

    • KK

      Jul 19, 2014 at 11:03 pm

      And the nerve of Mother Nature. She’s obviously a Rory fangirl.

      Reply Report comment

    • Ronald Montesano

      Jul 31, 2014 at 6:46 am

      I was not happy with that move. Talk about talking out of the other side of the mouth. Dealing with the climate is critical and the RANDA had never done this before. I suspect it was more to appease corporate sponsors than to protect a particular contestant.

      Reply Report comment

  5. Pingback: McIlroy (16-under) takes 6 shot lead at The Open | Spacetimeandi.com

  6. Crush

    Jul 19, 2014 at 2:32 pm

    I hope he crushes Tigger’s record.

    Reply Report comment

    • Christosterone

      Jul 19, 2014 at 6:48 pm

      Tiger had 25 wins at Rorys age…rory has 6….McIlroy is awesome and will have a great career but probably wont get anywhere near woods totals. 25 > 6(7 if we give him the open)

      Reply Report comment

      • M

        Jul 20, 2014 at 3:48 am

        I think he means the Majors record.

        Reply Report comment

      • MHendon

        Jul 20, 2014 at 11:16 am

        I agree with you Christosterone. Rory’s my favorite player but catching either one of Tiger’s records is not very likely. Rory’s a bit to streaky. He’s awesome when he’s on but in Tiger’s hay day he could win even when he was off.

        Reply Report comment

  7. RogerinNZ

    Jul 19, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    Looking forward to the Winners Report Article Ronald!
    Go Rory

    Reply Report comment

    • Ronald Montesano

      Jul 19, 2014 at 8:15 pm

      Thanks…won’t be written by me (sadly) but one of my erstwhile colleagues will get the job done.

      Reply Report comment

      • Rich

        Jul 20, 2014 at 4:04 am

        Hopefully it will be one of your colleagues who knows what the event is called, as you do.

        Reply Report comment

  8. Ronald Montesano

    Jul 19, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    Yes, it does, oh muscular one.

    keep reading and keep commenting.

    Reply Report comment

  9. Christosterone

    Jul 19, 2014 at 1:31 pm

    Not that I’m a Nike fan, but does this put to rest the ‘nike equipment sucks’ discussion?
    PGA Tour equipment is all ridiculously excellent…
    Monty won 7 Order of Merits with Yonex clubs…sold at Academy Sports & Outdoors..

    Reply Report comment

    • PhilWhitUK.

      Jul 19, 2014 at 1:44 pm

      Actually Monty was the face of Callaway in Europe for his Order of Merits. He left them for Yonex at the end of his run. I don’t think the change is what stopped the charge, though.

      Reply Report comment

      • Christosterone

        Jul 19, 2014 at 2:18 pm

        I meant that he won one order of merit with Yonex(7 was with callaway)…
        I’m old and easily confused 🙂
        Which is sad because i model my entire swing on Monty’s tempo and reverse c….though as i get up in years it is turning into a capital d swing

        Reply Report comment

    • Joe

      Jul 19, 2014 at 2:55 pm

      I don’t think it puts it to rest. People will always have their opinions of whats good and what isn’t. I think what it should do is put to rest that Rory made a mistake switching to Nike. You’ll always have your Nike haters and you’ll never convince those people otherwise, which is ok. Makes for great debates.

      Reply Report comment

      • MHendon

        Jul 20, 2014 at 11:31 am

        I don’t think it makes for great debates, it makes for ignorant debates based strictly on people own biases and personal opinions and not at all in fact. The fact is every OEM makes equally good equipment and Rory’s getting paid BIG to play equipment with a swoosh on it instead of a traditional golf brand. For some reason people have allegiances to BRANDS…BRANDS, companies who could give a damn about any of them and only want their money. Its stupid how we pay to advertise for someone else’s company.

        Reply Report comment

        • MHendon

          Jul 20, 2014 at 11:41 am

          Holly crap right after I posted this statement I hear, Curtis Strange say “this is like a battle of golf’s biggest brands”. That’s insane, I’m pretty sure the brands aren’t the ones swinging those clubs!

          Reply Report comment

          • Joe

            Jul 20, 2014 at 1:57 pm

            However you can’t look at just the logo on the clubs, bag, clothing, etc. These players are considered brands now. So when they say the word “brand” it expands further than the actual product that a person uses. So yes, I have to agree that it was a battle of some of golfs biggest brands.

            Reply Report comment

          • Ronald Montesano

            Jul 31, 2014 at 6:48 am

            Gotta have something to say on camera. Can’t let the silence and the swings tell the story, can you?

            Reply Report comment

        • MHendon

          Jul 20, 2014 at 9:01 pm

          I kind of get what you’re saying Joe but to me a brand is a marketable item for sale. For instance Michael Jordan became a brand because he got the financial rights to the Jordan brand from Nike. To my knowledge Rory, Sergio, and Ricky are paid endorsers of the companies who’s brands they represents, and they are for sale to the highest bidder. So therefore my point they are the one’s swinging the clubs not the brands. I’m sure you’ve heard the old cliche its not the arrow its the indian.

          Reply Report comment

          • Joe

            Jul 20, 2014 at 9:18 pm

            You stated a brand is a “marketable item for sale” then you stated that the golfers “for sale to the highest bidder”. That my friend is a brand. So a brand swinging a brand 😉

            Reply Report comment

          • MHendon

            Jul 21, 2014 at 5:28 pm

            Well I guess that makes us all brands then as long as your employed.

            Reply Report comment

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