If Rory McIlroy was hoping to star in a blockbuster at Riviera Country Club, not far from Sunset Boulevard and all of the razzmatazz of Hollywood, the world number seven instead found himself cast as a character cast adrift of the main drama in the megabucks Genesis Invitational.
Quite simply, McIlroy doesn't do missed cuts; they're as rare as hens' teeth. Except, in this instance, for the first time in 31 tournaments, dating back to the 2019 British Open at Royal Portrush, he did miss one: McIlroy struggled to a second round 76 for a 36-holes total of 149, seven-over-par, that saw him jetting back home to Florida to leave the business of chasing the title at the tournament hosted by Tiger Woods to others.
On a tough day at Riviera, McIlroy wasnt's alone in those with the X-Factor failing to fire and suffering on the firm, fast course. Bryson DeChambeau, the US Open champion and Justin Thomas, the world number three, also suffered on the iconic old course as American Sam Burns, chasing a maiden PGA Tour win, fired a second round 66 for a midway total of 12-under-par 130 to claim the second round lead.
After a first round of 64, Burns repeated the dose with a superb, bogey-free second round, birdieing two of his first three holes in a three-under first nine, before two more birdies coming home.
At 12-under, he leads by five shots from a group of three fellow Americans in Tyler McCumber, Jason Kokrak and world No 1 Dustin Johnson, who moved steadily up the leaderboard with a four-under 67, claiming five birdies after his sole bogey on the second.
For McIlroy, the world number seven, the two days play in Los Angeles were a constant battle with all facets of his game. Emphasised by a front nine – having started on the 10th – of four bogeys (at the 12th, 14th, 17th and 18th) and a lone birdie (on the 13th) to turn in 39 he then failed to find any forward momentum with a run of seven straight pars coming home until the wheels fell off on the Par 4 eighth where a wild drive ultimately saw him run up a double-bogey six.
As McIlroy finished up his work with a two-putt for par on the ninth, his finishing hole, it was with a look of resignation as he moves back to the East Coast for a run of events in Florida starting with next week’s WGC at The Concession and followed by the Arnold Palmer Invitational and his defence of The Players – but still searching as he tries to sort out technical aspects of his swing.
Pádraig Harrington, who only got out of self-isolation on Wednesday night after contracting Covid-19 at Pebble Beach, also missed the cut and the Dubliner has added on next week’s Puerto Rico Open to his schedule. “I can’t go home without a negative PCR, so I don’t have any option but to keep on going,” said the Dubliner of his rationale in adding tournaments onto his time stateside.
Burns, meanwhile, showcased his improved form in adding a 66 to his opening 64 to take a five-shot lead into the weekend. Ranked 149th in the world and with three top-10s from last year on his formguide, the 24-year-old – a graduate of the Korn Ferry Tour and chasing a breakthrough win on the main US circuit – shot a bogey-free 66 with five birdies in an impressive round that saw him tie the record 36 holes low at Riviera.
In attributing his good scoring to a mature display of patience, Burns explained: “I didn’t force anything. Whenever we were in a tricky spot, just kind of took what the golf course gave us.”
Jordan Spieth, who has shown evidence of a recovery in form of late, with top-five finishes in Phoenix and Pebble Beach, continued that resurgence with a second round 68 to sit at six under, while Brooks Koepka, winner in Phoenix, confirmed his wellbeing with a 70 which leaves him at four under. "I couldn't care less about the round," claimed Koepka, who said he was more happy that his neck was "popped" after he finished his round.
“It’s been like that for a month and a half, just stiff. I don’t know if I slept on it funny but it’s just been tight.”
Collated second round scores and totals in the USPGA The Genesis Invitational, The Riviera Country Club, California (USA unless stated, Par 71):
130 Sam Burns 64 66
135 Dustin Johnson 68 67, Jason Kokrak 67 68, Tyler McCumber 67 68, Joaquin Niemann (Chi) 67 68
136 Wyndham Clark 67 69, Max Homa 66 70, Jordan Spieth 68 68
137 Patrick Cantlay 67 70, Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng) 66 71, Scott Harrington 71 66, Alexander Noren (Swe) 67 70, Cameron Smith (Aus) 69 68
138 Tony Finau 71 67, Brooks Koepka 68 70, Andrew Landry 69 69, Kevin Streelman 72 66, Will Zalatoris 69 69
139 Wesley Bryan 69 70, Tyler Duncan 69 70, Jim Furyk 69 70, Talor Gooch 68 71, J. B. Holmes 70 69, Matt Jones (Aus) 67 72, Sung-Hoon Kang (Kor) 71 68, Sebastian Munoz (Col) 68 71, Jon Rahm (Spa) 70 69
140 Cameron Davis (Aus) 71 69, Branden Grace (Rsa) 71 69, Lanto Griffin 69 71, James Hahn 74 66, Viktor Hovland (Nor) 71 69, Mackenzie Hughes (Can) 69 71, Matthew NeSmith 70 70, Scott Piercy 73 67, Patrick Rodgers 71 69, Xander Schauffele 71 69, Brendan Steele 71 69, Cameron Tringale 69 71
141 Rickie Fowler 70 71, Brian Gay 72 69, Brian Harman 72 69, Russell Henley 69 72, Bo Hoag 73 68, Charley Hoffman 69 72, Tom Hoge 72 69, Nate Lashley 73 68, Francesco Molinari (Ita) 68 73, Chengtsung Pan (Tai) 71 70, Scottie Scheffler 67 74, Kyle Stanley 70 71, Sepp Straka (Aut) 70 71, Nick Taylor (Can) 72 69, Richy Werenski 70 71, Matthew Wolff 71 70
142 Keegan Bradley 68 74, Adam Hadwin (Can) 71 71, Danny Lee (Nzl) 72 70, Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor) 70 72, Marc Leishman (Aus) 69 73, Collin Morikawa 73 69, Kevin Na 70 72, J. T. Poston 74 68, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 75 67, Adam Scott (Aus) 69 73, Harold Varner III 70 72, Andrew Putnam 71 71
The following players missed the half way cut:
143 Ryan Armour 71 72, Stewart Cink 73 70, Corey Conners (Can) 72 71, Austin Cook 72 71, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 72 71, Doug Ghim 71 72, Mark Hubbard 74 69, Russell Knox (Sco) 73 70, Matt Kuchar 71 72, Martin Laird (Sco) 75 68, Luke List 70 73, Maverick McNealy 72 71, Troy Merritt 70 73, Henrik Norlander (Swe) 72 71, Pat Perez 71 72, Chez Reavie 73 70
144 Abraham Ancer (Mex) 71 73, Bryson DeChambeau 75 69, Tae-Hoon Kim (Kor) 69 75, Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 71 73, Denny McCarthy 74 70, Carlos Ortiz (Mex) 75 69, Doc Redman 74 70, Brandt Snedeker 71 73, Brian Stuard 75 69, Vaughn Taylor 72 72, Brendon Todd 72 72
145 Dylan Frittelli (Rsa) 75 70, Emiliano Grillo (Arg) 72 73, Adam Long 69 76, Camilo Villegas (Col) 71 74
146 Jim Herman 73 73, Willie Mack III 70 76, Peter Malnati 73 73, Robby Shelton 73 73, Robert Streb 73 73, Bubba Watson 71 75, Gary Woodland 73 73
147 John Augenstein 75 72, Lucas Glover 71 76, Harry Higgs 75 72, Michael Thompson 73 74
148 Si Woo Kim (Kor) 71 77
149 Joel Dahmen 74 75, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 73 76, Xinjun Zhang (Chn) 76 73, Tim Widing (Swe) 76 73
150 Justin Thomas 77 73, Jimmy Walker 78 72
151 Pádraig Harrington (Irl) 75 76, Charles Howell III 79 72
153 Angus Flanagan (Eng) 75 78
