McIlroy’s first-round 65 was intended to be the start of a Southern Hills triumph parade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, he’s won the last three Majors he’s started with a low round of 66 or better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was the story at the 2011 US Open, and three years later at the Open and USPGA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But McIlroy’s victory on the USPGA Tour in 2014 was his last of four Major titles, and he no longer looks like the player he was then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, a dreadful 71 in the second round this time put him five shots behind the leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was, however, set up for a Rory rampage. The early morning gusts died away to a mild breeze, and the players in McIlroy’s half of the draw feasted on birdies and mid-sixties scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
McIlroy, 33, will have to buck the trend at Southern Hills if he wants to come from behind and end the Major drought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Tulsa, all seven previous Major champions were in the top two at the halfway mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tiger Woods was the most recent winner, winning the USPGA in 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the evident discomfort from the right leg he shattered in a life-threatening automobile accident 15 months ago, Woods, 46, has already won his individual struggle by making the cut this week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
McIlroy’s first-round 65 was intended to be the start of a Southern Hills triumph parade.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1058],"class_list":["post-16969","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports","tag-mcilroy"],"yoast_head":"\n