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Rory McIlroy’s bid for victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship suffered a significant setback after a costly triple bogey on the 17th hole derailed his otherwise impressive second round.
The world number three had been cruising at seven-under through 16 holes before disaster struck at the par-3 17th.
Despite the late stumble, McIlroy managed to card a five-under 67, his second consecutive round of that score.
The Northern Irishman now sits nine shots behind surprise leader Paul Waring, who shot a stunning course record 61 to reach 19-under par at the halfway stage.
McIlroy detailed how the trouble began with what seemed like a good shot. “I feel like I hit a nice shot into 17, a nice flighted 5-iron, hit the downslope, trundled into the bunker,” he said.
The situation worsened when he struggled to escape the sand.
A triple-bogey for Rory McIlroy saw him tumble down the leaderboard
PA
“There wasn’t a lot of sand wherever the ball was in the bunker there, and I just sort of made a mess of it from there,” McIlroy explained.
However, he showed resilience by finishing strongly. “Bounced back well with two good shots into the last and made a birdie there,” the four-time major winner added.
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“That was the best shot I’ve ever hit in my life to be honest,” Waring said of his final approach.
His remarkable round gave him a five-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood, Thorbjorn Olesen, Johannes Veerman and Niklas Norgaard.
McIlroy acknowledged he faces a significant challenge to get back into contention, drawing parallels with his January comeback in Dubai.
Paul Waring, ranked 229th in the world, has taken the lead
PA
“I shot 63 on that Saturday in Dubai and I’m going to need something similar, if not lower, to give myself a chance going into Sunday,” he said.
The Northern Irishman believes course conditions could play a crucial role in his chances.
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Rory McIlroy has fallen out of the top 10 at the Abu Dhabi Championship
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“I need the golf course to firm up a little bit and toughen up a little bit to have a chance. There’s so many gettable holes out there,” McIlroy explained.
He remains hopeful, noting: “I know it’s out there. I was 7-under through 13 holes today. So it is possible.”
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