Open hopes fade for inconsistent McIlroy

It will clearly take more than blustering wind and hammering rain to stop Jordan Spieth at Royal Birkdale after he opened up a two-shot lead, posting a one under-par 69, in the second round of the British Open on Friday.

Matt Kuchar gives his reaction to Tim Barter after a solid day three at Royal Birkdale.

Rory McIlroy was the most eye-catching mover of day two with a vastly improved 2-under 68 to move within five strokes of the lead on 1-under.

Fleetwood was one of the men who pushed Koepka all the way when the American won the US Open last month.

It might have been a four-way tie had San Diego’s Charley Hoffman been able to hang on to his stellar round.

Paul Casey and Charl Schwartzel are four-under.

Meanwhile, McIlroy, the 2014 Open victor at Hoylake, remains bullish about his prospects after recovering well from a horrendous start to his day.

“I honestly had no idea that was something historic”, the world number 35 told reporters.

Cheer up lad, you’re leading The Open by two.

“I played well today”, Kuchar said. “It’s hard to get into it. Once that [weather suspension] horn blew, I chipped in right before it and when the horn blew, I could sit back, regroup and play the last eight holes as nearly a new round”.

“I couldn’t have done much better today”, admitted the Texan, even if he agonisingly failed to convert a putt for birdie at 18.

As for Kuchar, he has earned $39.77 million since joining the PGA Tour in 2001 but is still looking for his first victory in a major.

SOUTHPORT, England – The shocking way he lost the 2016 Masters and the psychoanalysis of how Jordan Spieth might overcome such a devastating defeat was drowned out like the British rainstorm he experienced Friday.

“I didn’t strike it particularly well”.

“I made some key up-and-downs on the start of the back nine – they’re the putts that haven’t quite been going in over the past few weeks and that’s all it takes to keep a round going”.

The performance of a fellow leader did catch his attention, however. “If my caddie knew he never said anything; good on him!”

“I got pretty frustrated out there, through the middle of my round”.

“Whatever, ” replied McIlroy, who had bogeyed four of his first five holes and was about to drop another shot at No. 6.

“To make a putt in that amphitheatre was awesome, and I hope I can walk up the 18th and do it (Sunday)”, he said.

Missing from the mix was Rory McIlroy, who looked to be a big threat when he began with three birdies in five holes, driving the green on the shortened par-4 fifth hole.

His superb front nine of 31 could easily have been better and, although a couple of bogeys coming home halted his momentum, he ensured he finished the day in red figures with a birdie at the par-five 17th.

And now he is contending in a major championship again. He led by four at the Masters two years ago and won by that margin. “It seemed like the later your tee time the better the draw you got”.