Ilonen Still Up in Irish Open; McIlroy Misses Cut


Finland's Mikko Ilonen followed up his course-record-setting 7-under 64 with a 68 to maintain his two-stroke lead in the Irish Open. The European Tour event started Thursday on the Deerpark Course at Fota Island Resort in County Cork.

After posting eight birdies and a bogey in the first round, the 34-year-old had five birdies and two bogeys Friday to reach 10-under 132.

Ilonen, a three-time winner in Europe, is two shots ahead of England's Robert Rock and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who both had 66s, and France's Romain Wattel, who matched the low second round, a 6-under 65.

"I got to my goal - I wanted to get to double digits," Ilonen told the European Tour's website. "I got there on 16 but then I lost it on 17, so it was good to birdie the last hole. I wanted to get to at least 10-under, and I just did that.

"I said yesterday, one shot at a time, one hole at a time. It's a long week, but two rounds of golf, it's a long way from here. Got to keep the head down and go one shot at a time."

Three behind the leader are Italy's Marco Crespi (67) and Brits Matthew Nixon (65) and Simon Khan (66). Ireland's Padraig Harrington (67), Belfast native Gareth Maybin (65), Italy's Edoardo Molinari (69) and South Korean Sihwan Kim (67) share eighth at 6-under 136.

Defending champion Paul Casey has recorded two straight 69s and is tied for 16th at 138 with nine others.

The cut was set at even-par 142. Among those heading home is the top-ranked player in the field, No. 6 Rory McIlroy. The 25-year-old Northern Irishman carded a 69 but couldn't overcome an opening 74 to miss the cut by a shot.

McIlroy also missed the cut in the 2013 Irish Open, a fact that further frustrated him. "To miss the cut for the second year in a row is not a nice position to be in. I don't know what else to say, it's very disappointing," he told the European Tour's website.

McIlroy needed a birdie-eagle finish to play the last two rounds but wasn't able to pull it off. "I'm proud of myself how I fought out there and didn't give up and tried for the last shot," added McIlroy, who announced on Wednesday he'll play for Ireland in the 2016 Olympics in Rio. "I gave myself a chance to try to make the cut with the big birdie putt on 17, but just wasn't meant to be.

"I just need to tighten it all up and become a lot more consistent, make the bad shots a little bit better and not be as wasteful around the greens," the two-time major winner and former No. 1 added.

"If I can do that, I know my game is right there. I've got a couple weeks off now to work on my game a little bit, play some links golf and get ready for the Scottish Open and the Open."

For complete scoring details, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2014/tournamentid=2014048/leaderboard/index.html.