Irish pair still lead way at midway point

GOLF WORLD CUP: AS FAR as dovetailing goes the Irish pair of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are right on the money after consolidating their place at the top of the standings at the midway point of the World Cup at Mission Hills in China where they continue to provide ample food for thought as a potential Ryder Cup pairing.

Yesterday’s second round action reverted to the more precarious alternate shots, foursomes format which meant the Irish pairing were never going to replicate their stunning 58 from the more attacking, opening day fourballs.

That said, McIlroy and McDowell were quickly out of the blocks when their first birdie came at the fourth, and an eagle three at the seventh was followed by a birdie at the ninth to turn in four-under 32 at the Jose-Maria Olazabal designed layout.

The back nine was more of a rocky ride as three birdies were undone by a bogey at 11 and a somewhat clumsy double bogey at the 15th.

But they rallied with back-to-back birdies to sign for a 68 to maintain their three-shot overnight lead on 18-under.

“We started out the day with a three-shot lead and we still have a three-shot lead, it was a good day,” said McIlroy. “This format is a lot trickier than the fourballs, you have to rely on your partner to get you out of trouble while you have to take responsibility in the fourballs.”

“We both continued to strike the ball really well and got off to a flier – to go out in 32 is good shooting in foursomes,” added McDowell (30), the senior half of the Irish operation, compared to McIlroy (20), who is playing in his first World Cup.

“We made a few errors on the back nine and were three over for the (two) par fives. That’s how fragile the game of foursomes is. But Rory hit two great irons into 16 and 17 and thankfully I followed them up with good putts.”

The pre-tournament favourites dropped their first shot of the tournament at the par-five 11th, and despite a birdie two at the 13th, their biggest blemish of the day came at the 15th where McDowell found water with his approach at the well-guarded par five. McIlroy compounded the misery by missing a two-foot uphill putt.

There was plenty of change in the chasing pack as Argentina, their nearest challengers from day one, dropped off the pace with a 75 and made way for defending champions Sweden to pick up the mantle.

Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson are Ireland’s nearest challengers after their low-round-of- the-day 65 moved them to within three of the lead on 15 under.

The Italian brothers, Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, are a shot further back in third (66).

Today’s action reverts to fourballs, and McDowell is “looking forward to playing more aggressively again, looking for loads of birdies and eagles and trying to break 60 again”.

As for McIlroy, he just hopes European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is watching. “Everybody knows I’d love to play with Graeme in the Ryder Cup, there would be nothing better,” said the world number 10.

“I think we would make a great team, although it’s not up to me to decide and we’ve still a long way to go, we still have to make the team.”