After a rainy Thursday, Friday brought sunshine back on the course.
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Rory McIlroy started at 4:50PM local time and, like Aaron Rai yesterday, fired an eagle to start the day. He had to stop at the 4th hole with a par as the horn blew. A long day awaits the World No. 2 tomorrow. Just like it was for Adrian Meronk, Angel Hidalgo, and Joost Luiten, on Friday.
Meronk and Hidalgo played 32 holes today while Luiten had to endure DGC for 34 holes. But you know what? All three are at the top of the leaderboard at 8-under. The only blip for Luiten was a double on the par-5 8th. But the Dutchman recovered brilliantly with a birdie on the next hole.
As for Meronk—still in his LIV apparel—carded 3-under. The Pole could’ve taken the solo lead if not for a bogey on the par-4 9th. The highest-ranked player inside the top 10 is now Eugenio Chacarra, ranked 50th.
Sir Nick Faldo said there would be a surprising winner. And it looks increasingly likely that the six-time major winner will be proven right.
Here is how things stand
- Adrian Meronk put up a masterclass in iron play, going bogey-free for 35 holes. The double on the 9th (he started on the back nine) was the only blip in his round.
- Four players are tied atop the leaderboard. Except for Detry, who was on the sixth hole. The Belgian golfer squeezed in three birdies still.
- Of the three reigning major champs, it looks like only two will advance to the weekend. Ryan Fox (+2) is two shots outside the projected cut line of even par.
Moments that you missed (but I’ll catch you up):
- Ryan Fox. And his putting. The Kiwi ranked 135th in putting average, and on the 14th, his short birdie putt lipped out. Fox decided to sacrifice his ball at the altar of his frustration.
- Home favorite Shubhankar Sharma holed out from 147 yards for an eagle. Unfortunately, he is likely to miss the cut (4-over).
- Yesterday you saw peacocks. Now check out another majestic bird (with some impressive facts from part-time broadcaster and full-time ornithologist Richard Boxall.)
Quick facts:
- Hole 9 once again played the toughest, with 18 bogeys and 4 doubles or worse recorded. Credit to Joost Luiten for birdying it in both rounds.
- Daniel Hillier shot the lowest round today. An 8-under 64 came courtesy of six birdies and an eagle. He bettered his first round score by 10 shots.
Quotes & thoughts:
- Eddie Pepperell on playing 36 holes: “Such a long day; 36 holes. I haven’t done that since probably a U.S. Open qualifier, one of the ones I didn’t walk in. Yeah, I just tried to hang in there. It was a tough, tough day with all of that, just thinking that.”
- Joost Luiten on his lone bogey of the day: “It was just one of these holes where everything went the wrong way. That’s what you got to avoid here on New Delhi Golf Club. It’s such a tight golf course. You got to be in the fairway.”
- Angel Hidalgo on his momentum lately: “The summer was long practicing, just to do as well as I can the swing. I’m putting better. I was practicing a lot the putting. Yeah, that’s the biggest step we put is the putter.”
That’s it for today. I’ll be back with a post-round update tomorrow.