The Loop

This time, McIlroy makes wrong kind of history

July 16, 2010

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- "Breathless" was the reaction to Rory McIlroy's 63 on Thursday. And "breathless" was McIlroy on Friday, when the 21-year-old Ulsterman had the wind knocked out of him in a punishing second round.

A day after becoming the 24th player in major championship history to shoot 63, McIlroy carved out another distinction in the second round: His eight-over-par 80 was the highest-ever follow up to a 63 in the majors, shattering the "mark" of 75 set by Tom Weiskopf in the 1980 U.S. Open and Bruce Crampton in the 1975 PGA Championship (on two other occasions, with Johnny Miller in the 1973 U.S. Open and Jodie Mudd in the 1991 British Open, there was no follow up since the 63 was shot in the final round. For more on McIlroy's 63, read Bill Fields' historical perspective here and here).

"It was a lot of ups and downs -- more downs than ups today," McIlroy said. "It was very tough."

-- Sam Weinman