McIlroy misery goes on as he misses Irish Open cut

McIlroy misery goes on as he misses Irish Open cut










June 28, 2013 1:55 PM

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Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy reacts after hitting his seond shot on the second tee during the third …


(Reuters) - Rory McIlroy's hopes of picking up much-needed form before the British Open next month ended in more disappointment on Friday when he missed the cut at the Irish Open.

The world number two improved his two-over par first round score to card a level par 72 but that was not good enough to keep him in the tournament at Carton House, County Kildare.

"It's disappointing as I feel I played okay today but it's not nice not to be competing. But there were a few good things out there. I just need to work on my game," McIlroy told Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old Northern Irishman, twice a major winner, was 11 shots off the lead, held jointly by American Peter Uihlein and England's Robert Rock on nine under.

Rock shot a six-under-par 66 to join Uihlein at the top of the leaderboard while both were being pressed by former Ryder Cup captain Jose-Maria Olazabal, after a 69 put him in a group on seven under par and joint second.


Olazabal hasn't given hope of winning, telling reporters: "The captaincy took a lot out of me. I could not dedicate as much time to my game. I have never lost hope, that's why I spend hours and hours on the range.

"Health-wise I have had problems but at the moment I cannot complain. But the main goal is to keep improving my game to get myself in positions like this."

Overnight leader Oscar Floren of Sweden could not match his first round 66 but did manage to produce another sub-par round of 71 to join Spaniard Olazabal on seven under for the tournament.

McIlroy wasn't the only big name to flop. Ireland's other three major winners - Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell - all fell by the wayside.

McIlroy's form has dipped alarmingly since he changed his club manufacturer towards the end of 2012. In the last five months of that year he won four tournaments and was top of the world rankings but in 2013 he has one top-five finish in 13 events, including Ireland.


The 142nd British Open is at Muirfield from July 18-21.

(Writing by Tony Goodson; Editing by John Mehaffey)

Indiana PGA Pro Guts Out 103 in Web.Com Tour Event

Indiana PGA Pro Guts Out 103 in Web.Com Tour Event










Ryan Ballengee June 28, 2013 3:57 PM


COMMENTARY -- In the world of professional golf, 103 is not a good score. In fact, it's downright terrible. But, on Friday, an impressive 103 was turned in by an Indiana pro on the Web.com Tour.



Michael Bembernick, 27, is a club pro at Meridian Hills Country Club in Indianapolis. He earned a spot in this week's United Leasing Championship through the Indiana section of the Professional Golfers Association of America. He was one of three players to earn the exemption -- a reward for good work in the form of at least two rounds against the future stars of the PGA Tour.



Bembernick may be an accomplished player, but tournament golf is a completely different game. Your run-of-the-mill scratch country-club golfer cannot sniff a good score in a tournament like this. (Trust me, I've tried.) Not that Bembernick was counting on a pair of 62s to land in contention at Victoria National Golf Club, but he probably didn't see the two rounds he did post coming.



On Thursday, Bembernick shot 17-over 89. It was the worst score in the field, but it happens. Alice Kim shot 89 at Sebonack Golf Club on Long Island to open the U.S. Women's Open on the same day.



Friday, however, was much worse. Starting on the 10th hole, Bembernick opened with a bogey, but he then followed with a double- and triple-bogey. He was in bad shape. On the round, he made two pars; he carded three triple-bogeys. Add in a quad and some more doubles, and Bembernick shot 31-over 103 on Friday. (That was revised down from the originally posted 105.)




The stat line for two rounds? Bembernick was 48-over-par 192, made one birdie and eight pars.



It's easy to poke fun at the guy. He was on a spit all Friday, getting roasted by a difficult golf course in full public display.



Instead, respect him.



Bembernick could have easily not showed up for his second round. No one would have blinked if he had simply withdrawn after Day 1. It's something pro golfers do all the time after a lousy first round.



Two Web.com Tour regulars, Camilo Benedetti and Dae-Hyun Kim, did after shooting 76 and 82, respectively. They may have been injured, or just frustrated, or realized a paycheck was not in the cards this week.




It happens all the time. Hypochondriac players come up with a previously undiscovered ailment just as soon as they realize their game is heading south of the cut line.



Two years ago, Angel Cabrera made a 9 on the par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass in The Players Championship. Not too long after, he mysteriously withdrew, citing "personal reasons."



Bembernick could have claimed a strained gallbladder and withdrew. But he didn't.



Bembernick knew he was healthy, but playing poorly. He knew he would not win, but he would feel more like a loser if he didn't finish what he started.



"No matter how bad you play, it's important to finish," Bembernick told Golf Channel after his round. "No one likes to see a quitter. I know none of my club members or any students I teach would want to see me quit."



Damn right. Bembernick took his tagging, but he got his money's worth. Besides, who knows the next time he'll have an opportunity like this. Even if the ending isn't happy, it's a good story.



After his 103 minutes of infamy are over and the Google searches for his name dry up, Bembernick only has to face himself and the people who love and support him. Not only can he look himself in the mirror and know he didn't give up, but he can walk proud that he took his best shot and came up short -- well short. But at least he never threw in the white towel, just hit the white ball.



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel. Follow him on Twitter @RyanBallengee.

Golf-Korean Kim grabs early lead at U.S. Women's Open

Golf-Korean Kim grabs early lead at U.S. Women's Open










June 28, 2013 4:02 PM


June 28 (Reuters) - South Korea's Kim In-kyung took advantage of greens softened by overnight rain to hold an early three-shot clubhouse lead in Friday's second round of the U.S. Women's Open in Southampton, New York.

Despite gusting winds and several tough pin positions at Sebonack Country Club, Kim produced some pinpoint approach play as she fired a three-under-par 69 to take control of the third women's major of the season.

The 25-year-old Korean, seeking her first major victory and a fourth win on the LPGA Tour, mixed five birdies with two bogeys to post a seven-under total of 137, finishing three ahead of American Lizette Salas, who carded an even 72.

"I felt good out there," Kim told reporters after making two birdies in her last three holes, at the seventh and eighth. "Definitely more wind out there but the greens were a little softer with the rain, so I was able to give myself some chances.

"I did a lot of preparation this winter and all the hard work kind of pays off but still there's a lot of golf to play.


"I feel confident because I feel I have been in contention a few times this year," said the Korean, who has posted six top-10s in 12 starts on the 2013 LPGA Tour, including a tie for fourth at last week's Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

Asked to assess her position going into the weekend, Kim replied: "I have come a long way the last two days. When you start a U.S. Open, you can't really tell what score you are going to have.

"I think that kind of helps me too. I don't really think of the score too much."

Angela Stanford (68) and fellow American Jessica Korda (71) were a further stroke back at three under while overnight leader Kim Ha-neul of South Korea was six off the pace after battling to a 77.

South Korean Ryu So-yeon (69) and Swede Anna Nordqvist (74) were knotted at two under.

However, early second-round leader Kim will be keeping an especially close eye on her compatriot Park Inbee, the pre-tournament favourite, who was among the day's late starters as she bids for a third major crown this year.

South Korean world number one Park had charged into contention with an opening 67 on Thursday and was one under for the day on Friday after six holes.

The cut was projected to fall at four-over 148 with Taiwan's former world number one Yani Tseng, a five-times major winner, and reigning Women's British Open champion Shin Ji-yai of South Korea among those likely to miss out. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)