Rory not feeling rosy but holds onto Desert Classic lead at midway point

Joy Chakravarty 10:48 01/02/2014
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  • Hard work: McIlroy endured a frustrating second round in Dubai but retains lead.

    Rory McIlroy reluctantly revealed he was not in the best physical condition as he struggled to a two-under par 70 round – but he still enjoyed a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

    “We ordered some seafood takeaway last night and it did not agree with me. I did not feel too well this morning, and I did not have much to eat. But I don’t want to use that as an excuse,” said McIlroy, who needed to make a birdie on the final hole to finish the day one ahead of American Brooks Koepka (65) at 11-under par 133.

    After a sparkling round of 63 on the opening day, McIlroy’s second-round 70 was played in three distinct phases. He struggled early on with his driver, before a birdie on the third settled him down. The world No6 then hit some great shots from the fourth to the 13th hole, before a missed par putt from two feet unsettled him again.

    “Making a few birdies on the front nine and turning in two‑under par was a good effort, especially after the wind started to get up,” said McIlroy.

    “I missed that little one on 13 and had a chance on 15 and didn’t convert and made bogey on 16. “But it was nice to birdie the last and at least give myself a one‑shot lead going into tomorrow. But yeah, just go back tonight and sort of regroup and realise that I’m still leading the tournament.”

    But McIlroy said he did not lose the plot after the short putt he missed for par on the 13th.

    “No, not at all,” he added. “I was just sort of more frustrated because the back nine is the nine that you want to build your score on and playing the harder nine in two‑under par, I thought I did well there.

    “I was a little frustrated not to get a few more birdies on that back nine.

    “But as I said, a good, positive way to finish the round with a nice birdie on 18.”

    The wind certainly made scoring more difficult, but McIlroy said he would not mind more of the same conditions over the next couple of days.

    “The wind was certainly up. I just didn’t feel quite as comfortable as I did yesterday. But you know, it was playing a little differently,” he said. “I think the wind is supposed to get up the next couple of days, as well. 

    "It was good to play a little bit of golf in that wind, and I don’t mind if it gets up the next couple days because I feel like I’m hitting the ball well enough. “The wind usually makes it a bit more of a ball‑striking contest. So, I don’t mind if it blows a little bit.”

    McIlroy is scheduled to tee off today at 12:45 UAE time along with Koepka.

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