The fear was simple. No Tiger Woods usually means diminished interest in a golf event, even one as important and distinguished as the U.S Open. Unless Phil Mickelson made a serious push to win his first Open, NBC was concerned about a dwindling weekend audience.
Then Rory McIlroy happened.
The unassuming kid from Northern Ireland is threatening to not simply rewrite golf history. He's already done that. No, McIlroy has set himself up to do things most people in sports didn't even think were possible.
He shot a 65 on Thursday, then chased it with a 66 on Friday. That puts Rory at 11-under par, a new 36-hole scoring record. The Open 72-hole scoring record is 12-under, set by Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach in 2000. Before a double bogey on 18 (the only hole of the tournament so far he's gone over par), McIlroy had gotten to 13-under. Nobody in the history of ever had done that at any point of a U.S. Open, and Rory got there in 36 holes.
The United States Golf Association prides itself on making this event the year's most challenging week of golf. A winner at even par is their ideal. Still, watching McIlroy turn Congressional into a pitch-and-putt doesn't have U.S.G.A. Executive Director Mike Davis (the man most responsible for setting up the course) worried yet.
“I think it’s great,” Davis said. “If someone hits great shots, they will make great scores. He executed well and he was rewarded. We have a challenging layout and we’re pleased with the set-up. Rory just did a lot of things really well. Good for him.”
McIlroy leads Y.E. Yang, who is a very respectable 5-under, by six shots heading to the weekend. Of course, McIlroy is the same guy who turned a 4-shot Sunday lead at the Masters into a 15th place finish, so you never know what might happen.
Local
You can see the weekend action on NBC 7 San Diego. Coverage runs from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. until it's over on Sunday. Whatever happens, if the kid wins or collapses, it'll be historic. Don't miss it!
