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The Open 2019: Tour pros praise Rory’s grit after epic Friday charge falls short

July 19, 2019

Rory McIlroy dug himself quite a hole with his first round at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush. After an opening score of 79 — eight over par — it seemed as if nothing short of a miracle in the second round would allow him to make the cut.

But against all odds, McIlroy rallied mightily on Friday, going out in two under par on the front nine, and carding a scintillating five birdies and one bogey on his back nine. He signed for a second-round 65, which matched the low round of the tournament and brought him to within a single shot of the cutline. Though his epic charge came up short, his grit and indefatigability in the face of adversity wasn’t just an inspiration to his fans; his fellow Tour pros took to social media to voice their support as well.

McIlroy was the 8/1 odds-on favorite coming into the week, and anticipation for his performance had been building since Portrush was announced as the 2019 venue. This week marks the first cut he’s missed in a major championship since last year’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock.

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