Rory McIlroy has revealed he missed his daughter's first day at school because of his involvement in the BMW Championship. The Masters champion is in the midst of his busiest spell of the year.
Balancing golf and family
After the second FedEx Cup play-off event in St Louis, he is set to play at the Irish Open in Doonbeg next month before the DP World Tour's BMW Championship at Wentworth, beginning on September 17. However, it has come at a cost as he has missed an important family milestone - daughter Poppy's first day at school.
Speaking ahead of the BMW Championship earlier this week, he said: "I am playing five of the next six weeks, so over the course of a calendar year. I still play more than most of the top guys because I play on both tours. It is just trying to find that balance, and then trying to be home enough."
He then revealed: "It is Poppy's first day of school today. I would have loved to have been home for that, but I am here, so it is just stuff like that, things I didn't have 10 years ago that I have these days. I am in a different spot in my life."
On the course
Meanwhile, McIlroy headed straight to the driving range after slipping off the pace during round two of the tournament. The 37-year-old champion began with a fine six-under-par opening round for a share of the lead, but could only improve his total by one shot on Friday with a 69.
He told the Golf Channel: "I feel like conditions were pretty similar to yesterday. The wind was coming out of a different direction, but still very scorable. 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. I didn't quite hit it as good as I did yesterday, so probably an afternoon on the range for me."
"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."
Leaderboard update
Wyndham Clark, the only player in the field yet to drop a shot, leads the way on 12 under after back-to-back 64s. Gary Woodland is a shot behind while a third American, JJ Spaun, looked set to run away with the second round after he moved to 11 under at the turn.
Three bogeys on the back nine checked his progress but two birdies, including one at the last, left him as clubhouse leader of the early starters on 10 under.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, who was two over after a first-round 72, bogeyed the first hole but recovered well after the turn with five birdies leaving him still in contention at three under.
