The Players: Rory McIlroy misses cut as Adam Svensson holds halfway lead at TPC Sawgrass | Golf News

Adam Svensson holds the halfway lead on nine under, with Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa also in contention; Rory McIlroy missed the cut on five over after rounds of 76 and 73; Watch The Players all weekend on Sky Sports Golf

Rory McIlroy will miss the cut at The Players

Rory McIlroy’s hopes of a return to world No 1 at The Players are over after the four-time major champion missed the cut at TPC Sawgrass.

McIlroy struggled off the tee and on the greens during an erratic opening-round 76 at the PGA Tour’s flagship event, with the world No 3 sitting on six over for the tournament and five strokes outside the projected cut when thunderstorms brought an early end to Friday’s play.

The 33-year-old returned on Saturday morning to finish his final eight holes and started with a birdie at the par-five 11th, although hopes of making it through ended with a run of four consecutive pars on his back nine before a tap-in birdie at the par-five 16th.

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Rory McIlroy hits a new longest drive of the week on the par-five 16th at TPC Sawgrass

McIlroy then signed off a frustrating week with a final-hole bogey to close a one-over 73, seeing him miss the cut at a PGA Tour event for the first time since July and the sixth time in his Players Championship career.

Adam Svensson grabbed a two-shot lead on nine under at the halfway stage, with world No 2 Scottie Scheffler in second spot and two-time major champion Collin Morikawa in tied-third on six under alongside Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Min Woo Lee and Ben Griffin.

Adam Svensson holds the 36-hole lead for the first time in his PGA Tour career

How Svensson set Sawgrass pace

Svensson, holding a share of the overnight lead, missed a 12-foot par to save par at the third – his opening hole of the day – but rolled in from a similar distance to birdie the fifth and get back to eight under.

Bezhuidenhout bogeyed the seventh when he found trees off the tee and slipped into the group two off the lead when he bogeyed the par-five ninth, while Scheffler opened his day with a birdie at the par-five 11th to also get into the group on six under.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout shared top spot until two bogeys in his final three holes

Scheffler squandered a great opportunity at the 16th but tapped in for birdie to get within one of the lead, while Svensson recovered from getting free relief near a kitchen tent at the par-five ninth to make an unlikely birdie and extend his advantage.

More to follow…

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