Rory McIlroy finds himself six shots off Tommy Fleetwood after two rounds of the DP World India Championship.
McIlroy is six under par after shooting 69 in both of his opening rounds. He finished strong with four birdies in his final six holes, but a three-bogey Friday round left him on the edge of contention going into the weekend.
On a course where iron play is so pivotal, McIlroy was hitting wayward shots for most of the round, leaving him perpetually in the rough and off the green.
Delhi Golf Club is incredibly narrow, meaning hitting driver isn’t possible for most of these players, but the Northern Irishman may be forced to play more aggressively to chase down Tommy Fleetwood on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters after his second round, McIlroy said whether he plans on bringing the big stick to the course with him for the first time this week.
Rory McIlroy says how he can catch the leaders at the India Championship
McIlroy left his driver out of the bag for the first two days in New Delhi, but he cannot afford to play conservatively for the rest of the week. Yes, wayward shots off the tee could end up deep in the Indian jungle, but it’ll be tough to pull back six shots playing it safe.
When asked whether he plans to change his strategy in order to catch Fleetwood, however, McIlroy said that using his driver wasn’t the right approach.
He said, “I think if I’m struggling to hit fairways with my 2-iron, I’m not going to hit it with my driver. Same strategy. Just have to hit it a little closer with my second shots and not miss as many putts.
“If I can just sort of sharpen everything up a little bit and give myself a few more birdie looks over the weekend, maybe I’ll be able to claw my way back closer to the leaders.”
It’s all about positioning himself for his approach shots and not playing himself out of holes with bad drives. That means keeping the driver out of the bag is imperative this weekend, no matter how many shots back McIlroy is.
Rory McIlroy reveals what was stressful about his second round at the India Championship
Instead of looking for more distance off the tee, McIlroy thinks the solution to his struggles lies in being more accurate.
When asked what he needs to change going into the weekend, he continued, “Maybe being just a little more specific with my targets off the tee. I felt like I missed some approach shots in the wrong spot.
“If I’d have hit the same shot on the left side of the pin instead of the right side, I short-sided myself a few times out there and gave myself some tricky looks to save par. Even things like that where you’re not putting yourself under so much stress.
“You might hit not a great shot but at least if it’s on the right side of the pin you’re going to make an easy par and maybe have a birdie look.
“Today I just missed too many shots on the wrong side and just having to scramble, and it’s pretty stressful trying to play from there. Just a little smarter and just tidy everything up a little bit.
“As you said it’s probably easier said than done, but that’s what I’m going to try to do over the weekend.”
It will be a difficult challenge going up against one of the most accurate iron players in the game, in Fleetwood. But with a red-hot Saturday performance, McIlroy could get his Ryder Cup teammate looking over his shoulder on the final day.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
