‘Flat’ McIlroy falls back as Kisner streaks Ahead

SHANGHAI: RoryMcIlroy struggled to a level-par 72 Friday in the second round of the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai to fall 10 shots behind leader Kevin Kisner. The world number three wasn’t the only superstar to find scoring difficult as the wind got up at the 7,200-yard par-72 Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai. McIlroy’s playing partners and fellow top-10 ranked players Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler carded 72 and 71 respectively. “I didn’t play very well today,” said the Northern Irishman. “I was just a bit flat out there. So, yeah, left myself a lot to do over the weekend but hopefully I can shoot a couple of good scores.” The scoreboard had been dominated by rounds in the 60s on Thursday but only 16 of the elite 78-man field managed to crack 70 on the second day. “I’ve shot 63 around here before,” saidMcIlroy,who admitted he stillwas not 100 percent after a bout of food poisoning earlier in the week. “No reason why I can’t go out and shoot a score like that over the weekend and get myself somewhat back in the tournament.” World number two and double majorwinner Jordan Spieth showed he was human in a year when he almost conquered all with three consecutive bogeys from the 11th. It was his second worst scoring run of 2015 after going bogeybogey- double bogey on his first three holes in the PGA Tour’s Barclays Championship way back in August. “I hit some shots that I was very shocked with today,” said Spieth. “I felt like Iwas very lazy inmy routine and it bitmewith three unforced errors in a row on the back nine there.” A birdie four at the 18th gave some cheer to the 22-year-old who finishedwith a level-par 72 to stay at four-under for the tournament and in a 10-man tie for 27th beside McIlroy. Defending champion and world number four BubbaWatson lost ground with a 73, bogeying the 18th after finding the greenside lake and is a shot further back at three-under. —AFP