Rory McIlroy found himself heading back to the practice range after his performance slipped during the second round of the BMW Championship at Bellerive Golf Club in St. Louis.
The defending Masters champion opened the tournament with an impressive six‑under‑par 66, which placed him in a share of the lead after round one. However, his Friday round produced only a modest improvement, as he carded a 69, just one stroke better than his opening score, leaving him trailing the leaders.
In an interview with the Golf Channel, McIlroy reflected on the conditions and his play. He noted that the weather was largely consistent with the previous day, but the wind had shifted direction, creating a slightly different challenge.
"The wind was coming out of a different direction, but still very scorable," he said. "The greens are soft, maybe the ball's got a little bit more run out on the fairways, but you'll still see guys shooting pretty good scores today." McIlroy admitted that his ball striking wasn't as crisp as it had been on Thursday, prompting him to schedule an afternoon session on the driving range. "I didn't quite hit it as good as I did yesterday, so probably an afternoon on the range for me," he explained. Despite the dip in his performance, he expressed satisfaction with his resilience.
"I'm proud of how I just hung in there. A lot of good par putts on the back nine, especially. The only bogey I had was with a mistake on the par‑five eighth hole, but I made some really good par saves coming in and that sort of kept me in it," he added.
McIlroy also took a moment to praise the atmosphere created by the fans at Bellerive. The six‑time major winner recalled his first visit to the venue in 2018 for the PGA Championship, highlighting the large crowds and electric vibe. "They're amazing, that's one of the biggest things I remember from being here in 2018 for the PGA was just how many people showed up and what a great atmosphere it was to play in," he said. He continued, "Yesterday was amazing for a Thursday.
Today, teeing off at 9:45 on a Friday morning and the people out there were incredible. Looking forward to more of the same over the weekend." While McIlroy was regrouping, other contenders were making headlines.
Two‑time U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, the only player in the field who had not yet dropped a shot, surged ahead with a total of 12 under par after posting consecutive rounds of 64. Gary Woodland trailed closely, just one shot behind Clark.
Meanwhile, American JJ Spaun appeared poised to dominate the second round after reaching 11 under at the turn. Although three bogeys on the back nine slowed his momentum, Spaun recovered with two birdies—including a clutch birdie on the final hole—to finish as the clubhouse leader among early starters at 10 under. World No.
1 Scottie Scheffler, who began the tournament with a two‑over‑par 72, stumbled on the first hole of his second round with a bogey but rebounded strongly after the turn, recording five birdies. His comeback left him tied for 25th place at three under par, still within striking distance of the leaders. The tournament schedule continues with live coverage on Saturday, starting at 4 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf and 8:30 p.m.
on Sky Sports Main Event. For viewers without a Sky subscription, streaming options are available through NOW with no contract required.
The BMW Championship promises further drama as the field battles for the coveted FedExCup points and a spot in the season‑ending Tour Championship. Beyond the competition, golf enthusiasts can take advantage of promotional offers to book tee times at over 1,700 courses across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
By entering a city, course name, or postal code, players can discover available slots and secure the best rates, though some searches may return no results and require alternative queries. In summary, McIlroy's early round performance showcased his talent, but the slight dip on Friday has prompted a return to the range for fine‑tuning. His comments underline both the challenging yet scorable conditions and the supportive fan base that makes Bellerive a memorable venue.
As the weekend unfolds, the leaderboard remains fluid, with Wyndham Clark leading, close contenders like Gary Woodland and JJ Spaun in pursuit, and a resilient Scottie Scheffler looking to climb back into contention. Golf fans can stay tuned via multiple broadcast platforms and enjoy the excitement of one of the PGA Tour's premier events.