Rory crashes out of Australian Open contention

BY BRENDAN JAMES at THE AUSTRALIAN GOLF CLUB

He came, we saw, we marveled … he crashed.

The excitement machine that is Rory McIlroy has next to no chance of defending his Emirates Australian Open title after he stumbled and spluttered his way to a five over 76 at The Australian Golf Club and will head into the final round six shots behind the leaders.

Rory McIlroy tries to blast out of high grass beside the 9th fairway but fails. PHOTO: Getty Images.

West Australian duo Greg Chalmers and Brett Rumford as well as young American Jordan Spieth sit atop the leaderboard at five under after a tumultuous afternoon for scoring with a strong northerly wind whipping across the course.

There were plenty of casualties but none bigger than the World No.1.

He began the day just one stroke behind 36-hole leader Chalmers. But from the outset he looked far from comfortable with his swing. After a two-putt par at the difficult opening hole, he scrambled well for pars at the next two holes. He missed the green at the par-3 4^th and finished with a bogey, a dropped shot he reclaimed with a birdie at the next.

By the time he reached the 7^th tee, it seemed he might be losing patience or concentration … or both. The par-4 was playing straight downwind and the prodigious hitter chose to use driver, which certainly brought the lake beside the right of the fairway into play. While he avoided the water, his 340-metre plus drive put him too close to the green to be able to play an attacking wedge approach. He was forced to hit a half shot that finished well short of the flag.

The Northern Irishman scrambled for his par at the long par-4 8^th and headed to the 9^th tee still four under and well in contention. But all that was about to change.

Rory McIlroy consults with a rules official before taking a penalty drop on the 9th hole. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Instead of attacking as he had done two holes earlier, he took a long iron from the tee and slice it wildly on the breeze into an area of deep marram grass that is still being established right of the fairway. He compounded this poor shot with a poor decision, when he chose not to take an unplayable lie drop which would have seen him with a better chance of getting somewhere down the fairway for his third shot. Instead, he swung hard at the ball and it went underground – literally.

The high grass is held in place on the hill by matting and McIlroy’s ball finished buried under the matting. After some deliberation with a rules official, he took an unplayable lie drop before playing his fourth shot into the gallery sitting on what was once known as ‘Dunk’s Hill’.

Brett Rumford reacts after missing the 18th green from close range. PHOTO: Getty Images

It was here in 1975 when Billy Dunk, needing a birdie on the final hole to tie Jack Nicklaus, sliced his drive onto the hill right of the fairway and crashed out of contention with a triple bogey. Nearly 40 years on, the hill has claimed another contender in McIlroy, who posted his own triple bogey.

The 25-year-old dropped another two shots at the 10^th hole to freefall out of the top-10. Two more bogies on the back nine were offset by birdies at the 11^th and 18^th holes. As he putted out on 18 he looked relieved … relieved the torture was over. He signed for a four over 75 and made a bee line for the car park, but was still gracious enough to sign some autographs and hand out some balls and his glove along the way. It was his worst score since carding a 78 in the second round of The Memorial back in June. That shocker came just 24 hours after posting a course record 63.

He will need to shoot a similar low number if he is to make any further impression on this tournament, which sees just eight players heading into the final round under par.

The trio of Rumford, Chalmers and Spieth made less errors than most on a day that saw the Jack Nicklaus redesigned course bare its teeth and play its hardest thus far in this championship. Only three holes – the par-5s – averaged under par, while the average score for the round was nearly three shots over par at 73.657.

They will have to play similar golf in the final round if they are to hold off Scott, who is looking to win his second Stonehaven Cup.

Having entered this Championship to right the wrong of last year’s final hole loss to McIlroy, Scott is well-poised one shot behind the leading threesome despite not making the most of his birdie opportunities. That said, since his opening nine holes on Thursday he’s made just one bogey. There was an ominous sign for the other contenders when he rolled in his first long birdie putt at the 17th, and what might just be a game-changer.

“It was a tough day out there but I think I struck the ball very well, solid, so it didn't feel like I was grinding but it just felt like slow going,” Scott said. “It was hard to really get it very close and give myself great looks, but I thought I had everything under control.

Adam Scott plays a wonderful recovery shot on the 2nd hole. PHOTO: Getty Images

“It was a shame to miss a couple of short ones but made up for it on the 17^th with a long one.”

Scott, who will return to World No.2 with a win, said it would be hard for any player to break free of the stacked leaderboard if the windy conditions continue into the final day.

“In these conditions it's going to take an incredible round just to make sure you're in with a chance the last few holes,” Scott said. “You probably saw it slip pretty quickly for a few guys out there today and if you're not careful that can happen and I certainly don't want to do that.

“So it will be thinking hat on right from the 1st tee.”

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