Rory McIlroy struggles with putting as Open Championship hopes dwindle
The Guardian Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 17, 2026, 5:58 PM
Last updated Jul 17, 2026
Rory McIlroy is currently competing at the Open Championship, where he is plus one for the tournament as he approaches the 414-yard par-four 9th hole. While McIlroy demonstrates strong driving performance, his putting has not matched that success, leaving him needing to improve to keep his championship hopes alive. The leaderboard is indicating a challenging situation, with many players moving ahead in the standings.
- •Rory McIlroy is plus one for the tournament at the Open Championship.
- •He approaches the 414-yard par-four 9th hole during his round.
- •McIlroy has strong driving but struggles with putting.
- •The leaderboard shows many players making gains during the competition.
- 5:58 PMThe Guardian Sport — Rory McIlroy lets driver fly but putts go awry with Open hopes in balance
"World No 2 was in full flow off the tee but off colour on the greens and knows he needs to make a charge on moving day One of the sweetest sounds in sport is the elongated swoosh that comes as Rory McIlroy’s driver connects with his ball. Really, it is a beautiful thing. You imagine the impact will be a violent clank. Instead it is more like a yogi softly exhaling having found nirvana. But as McIlroy stepped on the 414-yard par-four 9th on Friday, he was still searching for inner peace. He was plus one for the tournament. The leaderboard was turning a sea of red. And he had substantial ground to make up. Continue reading...
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