McIlroy meltdown as world number one fluffs BMW Championship

They say lightning never strikes in the same place twice. Try telling Rory McIlroy that. The world number one and Northern Irishman four-putted two days running on the three par 12th hole at the Cherry Hills Country Club.

McIlroy, who is 4/1 to finish as top European in the upcoming Ryder Cup, said: “I’ve wasted five shots on one green in two days.”

“I did think about the previous day’s four-putt when I was over my second putt and said to myself: ‘Don’t give away any more shots to this hole’.

“But, honestly I don’t know what happened. I actually holed a good putt there to avoid my second five-putt; the first came in an amateur competition way back,” continued McIlroy

“I can laugh at myself and won’t beat myself up about it. It just shows everyone out there that we can do the same as them.”

Having won two consecutive majors this year, following up an Open victory with a win at the US PGA, he is still sitting in a comfortable fourth place in the play-off standings.

American Billy Horschel was the overall winner in Atlanta, finishing just two shots ahead of compatriot Bubba Watson. Horschel’s victory has put him second in the Tour Championship standings, behind countryman Chris Kirk, and neither player features in Tom Watson’s US Ryder Cup team.

Two of the US captain’s wildcard picks will count themselves lucky to be taking on the European team, after Keegan Bradley’s withdrawal due to a possible rules violation meant that he wasn’t eligible to play in Atlanta. Hunter Mahan, Watson’s third pick, left a lot to be desired, after finishing at joint 59th, seven shots over par.

The former is 15/2, while the latter is 10/1 to be the highest American scorer in the Ryder Cup, as the tournament draws closer. For McIlroy, well, as the old cliche goes, ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’.