US Open 2024: Rory McIlroy Battles Through a Chaotic Second Day While Scottie Scheffler Faces Major Setback at Pinehurst
US Open 2024: Rory McIlroy Battles Through a Chaotic Second Day While Scottie Scheffler Faces Major Setback at Pinehurst
As the sun rose over Pinehurst, the hopes of Rory McIlroy for a seamless second round quickly dissipated. Following a composed and disciplined first day, the second round turned into a battle for McIlroy. Despite a strong finish on day one, where he tied the lead with Patrick Cantlay by scoring five birdies without a bogey, the following morning proved far more challenging.
Starting his second round less than 13 hours after finishing the first, McIlroy found Pinehurst much less forgiving. His round was marked by three bogeys, including one on the closing hole, and a single birdie. This dropped him back to three-under-par, though he remained in a relatively strong position as few early starters made significant headway, except for Belgium’s Thomas Detry, who surged into contention.
Elsewhere, Bryson DeChambeau birdied the final hole to surpass McIlroy, finishing at four-under-par. Xander Schauffele joined McIlroy at three-under after navigating his own turbulent round.
Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1, had a particularly rough day. Known for his consistency, Scheffler was a favorite coming into the tournament. However, he struggled immensely, failing to make a single birdie for the first time in his professional major career and finishing the day at +5, putting him in jeopardy of missing the cut for the first time since August 2022. Scheffler’s recent busy schedule, including becoming a new father and dealing with personal issues, may have taken a toll.
Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre also faced difficulties, finishing at +5 and +6, respectively, while Tyrrell Hatton managed a one-over 71. Despite the challenging conditions, McIlroy remained optimistic about his standing, expressing satisfaction with his overall position going into the weekend.
The first sign of trouble for McIlroy came early in his second round with a bogey on the second hole, soon followed by another. Both McIlroy and Scheffler found themselves frustrated as their tee shots landed on the green only to roll back, leading to missed par opportunities. Scheffler’s frustration culminated in him throwing his putter into the air after a particularly bad swing, leading to another bogey on the par-three 17th.
McIlroy also had his struggles on the green, but managed a remarkable chip-in to save par after putting off the green. Meanwhile, Schauffele demonstrated a mix of skill and inconsistency, following an erratic start with three birdies before a mishap on the par-five 5th.
On the 5th, all three top-ranked players – McIlroy, Scheffler, and Schauffele – encountered trouble. While McIlroy salvaged par, Schauffele and Scheffler’s chips rolled back, resulting in double bogeys. This erased much of Schauffele’s progress and added to Scheffler’s woes.
Despite the chaotic day, McIlroy’s resilience kept him in contention as the tournament headed into the weekend. The second day at Pinehurst was a test of endurance and patience, with more drama expected as the US Open continued.
