The associated press
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Rory McIlroy’s first PGA Tour event in five months lasted only two days.
His road to the Masters hit a speed bump Friday in the Honda Classic when the world’s No. 1 player managed only one birdie in the rain, stumbled badly down the stretch and headed home for the weekend after a 4-over 74, the first time in nearly a year he had consecutive rounds over par. He shot 73 on Friday.
The cut officially will not be made until Saturday because of a rain delay of nearly four hours, though he knew the score. And he wasn’t happy about it.
“I don’t like missing cuts,” McIlroy said. “You want to be playing on the weekend, and I’m not there. I’m not going to be playing this weekend, which is not nice.”
It was pleasant enough for Patrick Reed, who recovered from a double bogey early in his round by playing bogey-free the rest of the way for another 67. He was the clubhouse leader at 6-under 134. None of the late starters had enough light to play more than 12 holes before the second round was suspended by darkness. Brendan Steele birdied all four holes he played and was at 8 under.