Rory McIlroy crashes in ‘Honda’

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy let his honesty shine through again, bluntly admitting he was ‘pissed off’ after the disappointment of missing the halfway cut in the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens. 

McIlroy’s love-hate relationship with the $US 6.1m event continued with the World No. 1 posting scores of 73 and 74 for a shock seven over par tally and crashing out of the event for a second time in three years.

It is the first time McIlroy has missed a halfway cut in 13 events since posting rounds of 74 and 69 to dismay Fota Island fans at last year’s Irish Open.

Ironically, it’s also only the second time he’s not played all four stroke play rounds in the States since walking off after eight holes of his second round in the 2013 Honda Classic, and at that time slumping to seven over par.

“I’m pissed off because it’s not been since last year’s Irish Open I’ve missed a cut and I don’t like missing cuts,” he said. “You want to be playing on the weekend and not to be playing this weekend is disappointing.”

However, McIlroy’s cause wasn’t helped by three separate rain delays early on day two of the event that resulted in a loss of three hours and 44 minutes.

McIlroy was in an 11th hole fairway bunker, or the second hole of his round, and 149-yards from the flag when play was first halted. He resumed to take bogey before seven straight pars ahead of finding water down the 18th or his ninth hole for a second bogey of his round.

McIlroy posted his only birdie at his 14th but ended with bogeys on 15, 16 and the last. And soon after his round McIlroy was observed with his hands over his head chatting with long-time coach, Michael Bannon and revealing the pair will spend the weekend, weather permitting, on the practice range at the nearby Bear’s Club before heading the some 70-minute drive south to Miami and next week’s WGC – Cadillac Championship.

“I just didn’t feel like I controlled my ball flight well in the wind that you need to do and that wasn’t something that I did particularly well,” he said.

“And in the three weeks since winning in Dubai I haven’t practiced in many cross winds, so Michael and I will spend time working on my game over the weekend, and if the forecast allows us. All I will do now is just forget about what happened this week and move on.”

And McIlroy stated he will not react to missing the Honda Classic cut by adding an event ahead of the Masters and will stick to his schedule of competing next week in Miami along with a first appearance in Arnold Palmer’s event.

The rain delays meant both Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell, in the second half of the draw, will not complete their second rounds. American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed posted a 67 to enjoy the clubhouse lead at six under with England’s Luke Donald, who also shot a 67, in second place at four under.

Meanwhile Irish aces Gary Hurley and Jack Hume are through to the quarter-finals of the Spanish Amateur Championship in Jerez.

Hurley, from West Waterford, was always in command against Jim Liu and romped to a 6&5 first round victory and was also very impressive in the afternoon to topple Norwegian Viktor Hoyland, the top seed by 4&3.

Hume from Naas had to go to the home green to dispose of Lars Keunen from the Netherlands and needed two extra holes to get the better of Frenchman Sebastien Gandon.

In all all-Irish opening round clash Robin Dawson pipped Gavin Moynihan on the home green but was then beaten 4&3 by Holland’s Jeroen Krietenmeijer after lunch.

Hurley now faces Austrian Markus Maukner for a semi-final place while Hume has a particularly difficult encounter against England’s double European champion Ashkey Chesters.

And Maria Dunne from Skerries is through to the quarter-finals of the Spanish Ladies Championship at Seville.

The Irish international defied the odds to oust Welsh international Chloe Williams on the 19th hole and then beat Kristyna Frydlova of the Czech Republic by 3&2.