It's been a mixed bag for the Irish in Royal County Down. Padraig Harrington sits on top of the leaderboard alongside Germany's Max Kieffer on -4 (the German is still on course at the time of writing).
But the local boy had one of his occasional horror-shows. He hit a +9 over par 80. When McIlroy ballses up a round, he really ballses it up. There's no half measures.
He is at least no longer dead last thanks to the sterling efforts of Gregory Havret who saved the Pride of Down's blushes by selflessly hitting 81.
McIlroy was up-front about his disappointment, admitting that he wanted to play well 'not just for myself but for a lot of other people.'
He then alluded to hearing the most dreaded sound in golf as he was traipsing off at the end of his round.
I want to give them something to cheer about and not just get sympathy claps as I got coming off the ninth green.
McIlroy has hit enough great rounds and tossed in enough dramatic disasters to appreciate the difference between 'sympathy claps' and 'claps'.
Hopefully, he'll hear the latter again before long.
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