Rory McIlroy still in the hunt despite putting woe

Another round, another struggle with the putter, but Rory McIlroy is not going away at Ballyliffin as he bids to regain the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open title this weekend.

Sixty-six putts over two rounds, 34 of them in yesterday’s second-round, three- birdie, four-bogey 73, are not usually conducive to winning golf. When you are striking the ball as sweetly as McIlroy has been around the Glashedy Links, though, it has not scuppered his chances of repeating his 2016 success at the K Club. Not yet at least.