'Nothing short of pathetic' - Tyrrell Hatton falters at BMW Championship, Rory McIlroy makes forward move

ByAlex Livie

Updated 19/08/2022 at 22:54 GMT

Wilmington Country Club in Delaware plays host to the BMW Championship. It is the first time the course has featured on the PGA Tour, and it is a major event being the second of the FedEx Cup play-offs. The field of 68 will be whittled down to 30 who will go forward to the Tour Championship at East Lake next week. Rory McIlroy is firmly in the mix for glory.

Rory McIlroy shrugged off an early bogey and a slightly cold putter to keep himself in the mix after 36 holes of the BMW Championship.

The four-time major winner’s approach play was sensational and he gave himself a look at a host of birdie chances, but only converted five of them.

Two bogeys saw him sign for a 68 for the second day in a row, and well within striking distance of the leader.

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Adam Scott holds the clubhouse lead at eight-under, but he brought himself back to the pack with a double bogey on the 17th after his tee shot came to rest behind a tree.

McIlroy had ground to make up after his ugly triple bogey on Thursday. Hopes of a fast start were dashed by a missed birdie putt on the first and a bogey on the second.

At that point he was down at two-under, but the third hole has proved to be a gift for the players and McIlroy got back on track with a birdie on the par five.

McIlroy’s driving was towards its imperious best on Friday and excellent tee shots on six and eight yielded birdies to lift him to five-under for the tournament.

The Irishman missed makeable birdie chances on 10 and 13, and trudged off the par-five 14th with a bogey on the card.

It was not the ideal scene setter for the walk to the 15th, a hole he made triple bogey at on the previous day. On this occasion, with the pin on the left, he went for a draw rather than a fade. And instead of finding the water, he sent his tee shot to within four feet for a tap-in birdie.

McIlroy could arguably have birdied the final four holes, but he passed up chances at 16 and 17 before chipping in on 18 to get to six-under - two behind Scott.

Second Round Leaderboard

• 1. Adam Scott, eight-under
• T2. Scottie Scheffler, seven-under
• T2. Jordan Spieth, seven-under
• T2. Cameron Young, seven-under
• T2. Corey Connors, seven-under
• T6. Cam Davis, six-under
• T6. Scott Stallings, six-under
• T6. Rory McIlroy, six-under
• T6. Patrick Cantlay, six-under
• T6. Xander Schauffele, six-under

Will Zalatoris arrived at Wilmington Country Club at the top of the FedEx Cup standings courtesy of his win at TPC Southwind last week.

Playing alongside the man he knocked off the top spot, Zalatoris was put in the shade by Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler’s putter had gone a little cold since his win at the Masters, but it was in fine fettle on Friday as he rolled in a string of impressive putts to get to seven-under.

With Scheffler’s driving and iron play also impressive, he was able to put four shots between himself and Zalatoris.

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Tyrrell Hatton is battling to get into the top 30 for next week’s Tour Championship, but struggled on Friday.

Hatton wears his heart on his sleeve, and after a round of 71 left him at four-under, he pulled no punches.

“What an absolutely rubbish round of golf that was,” Hatton told Sky Sports. “I hit two fairways today, one of which was going into the trees, bounced off the trees and back into the fairway, so I’ve technically hit one fairway.

“It was an absolute shocker and I hated every minute of it.

“I have just gone out and played an awful round of golf. That was nothing short of pathetic.

“I am not one to go on the range afterwards, but I think I will go and hit a few now to let off a bit of steam and try not to throw any clubs in the water.”

Jordan Spieth joined Scott at the top of the leaderboard with a birdie on 17, but he gave that shot back one hole later to drop to seven-under alongside Scheffler, Corey Connors and Cameron Young.

Jon Rahm had a tough day on Thursday, with little going his way. Three bogeys on his outward nine sent him down to five-over, but things turned around on the back nine. Three birdies and a brilliant eagle on the 16th took him to one-over for the tournament.

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